Replacing the Moral Foundations
An Evolutionary‐Coalitional Theory of Liberal‐Conservative Differences
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6337458 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jeffrey S Sinn (0000-0002-1890-3529, Winthrop University, corresponding author), Mark Hayes (0000-0002-5228-4223, Winthrop University), Matthew W Hayes (Winthrop University) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1043-1064 |
| Publication date | 2017-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Political Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0162-895X • E-ISSN: 1467-9221 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/pops.12361 |
| OpenAlex | W2513939538 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 34 |
| References cited | 93 |
Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) explains liberal‐conservative differences as arising from different moral intuitions, with liberals endorsing “individualizing” foundations (Harm and Fairness) and conservatives also endorsing “binding” foundations (Authority, Respect, and Purity). We argue these labels misconstrue ideological differences and propose Evolutionary‐Coalitional Theory (ECT) as an alternative, explaining how competitive dynamics in the ancestral social environment could produce the observed ideological differences. We test ECT against MFT across three studies. Study 1 shows the so‐called “binding” orientation entails the threat‐sensitivity and outgroup antagonism predicted by ECT; that is, an authoritarian motive. Similarly, Study 2 shows the so‐called “individualizing” orientation is better described as a universalizing motive, one reflecting a broader set of moral commitments (e.g., to nature) and a broader sociality than the egocentrism implied by MFT. Study 3 provides a factor analysis reducing “binding” to authoritarianism and “individualizing” to universalism, with the latter loading against social dominance orientation (SDO). A hierarchical regression then provides additional evidence for ECT, showing this dominating motive (SDO) accounts for variance in conservatism that MFT leaves unexplained. Collectively, these three studies suggest that ECT offers a more accurate and precise explanation of the key psychological differences between liberals and conservatives
Authoritarianism · Conservatism · Harm · Ideology · Political science · Politics · Social dominance orientation · Sociality · Cultural Differences and Values · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Law · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 34 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4,25 |
| Citation span | 2018 - 2025 (8) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 34 |