The Theory of Dyadic Morality

Reinventing Moral Judgment by Redefining Harm

Bibliographic Data

ID23382829
AuthorsChelsea Schein (0000-0003-3846-0400, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA), Kurt Gray (0000-0001-5816-2676, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA, corresponding author)
Year2018
Volume22
Issue1
Pages32-70
Publication date2018-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePersonality and Social Psychology Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1532-7957 • E-ISSN: 1088-8683
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1088868317698288
PMID28504021
OpenAlexW2616027181
LanguageEN
Citations received257
References cited285

The nature of harm—and therefore moral judgment—may be misunderstood. Rather than an objective matter of reason, we argue that harm should be redefined as an intuitively perceived continuum. This redefinition provides a new understanding of moral content and mechanism—the constructionist Theory of Dyadic Morality (TDM). TDM suggests that acts are condemned proportional to three elements: norm violations, negative affect, and—importantly—perceived harm. This harm is dyadic, involving an intentional agent causing damage to a vulnerable patient (A→P). TDM predicts causal links both from harm to immorality (dyadic comparison) and from immorality to harm (dyadic completion). Together, these two processes make the “dyadic loop,” explaining moral acquisition and polarization. TDM argues against intuitive harmless wrongs and modular “foundations,” but embraces moral pluralism through varieties of values and the flexibility of perceived harm. Dyadic morality impacts understandings of moral character, moral emotion, and political/cultural differences, and provides research guidelines for moral psychology.

Epistemology · Harm · Immorality · Moral character · Moral disengagement · Moral psychology · Morality · Social cognitive theory of morality · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Ethics in Business and Education · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

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