Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations
A growing body of work suggests that religiosity is typically associated with deontological or non-utilitarian moral judgments. However, recent conceptualizations of utilitarian psychology show that instrumental harm is just one (negative) dimension of utilitarianism. In the new two-dimensional mode...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Religions |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/12/1215 |
| _version_ | 1797455472010199040 |
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| author | Mariola Paruzel-Czachura Edyta Charzyńska |
| author_facet | Mariola Paruzel-Czachura Edyta Charzyńska |
| author_sort | Mariola Paruzel-Czachura |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A growing body of work suggests that religiosity is typically associated with deontological or non-utilitarian moral judgments. However, recent conceptualizations of utilitarian psychology show that instrumental harm is just one (negative) dimension of utilitarianism. In the new two-dimensional model of utilitarian psychology, impartial beneficence is the second (positive) dimension of utilitarianism. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between the centrality of religiosity and utilitarianism (its two dimensions) among adults (<i>N</i> = 401). We also examined whether five moral foundations serve as mediators of this relationship. We found that religiosity was directly and indirectly (through the care foundation) related to impartial beneficence. Although the direct effect of religiosity on instrumental harm was insignificant, we found two indirect effects through purity and authority foundations. The results suggest that the relationship between religiosity and utilitarianism is more complex than previously assumed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:54:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ceec8a11c241493f9ff652c1f971d6b6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:54:50Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-ceec8a11c241493f9ff652c1f971d6b62023-11-24T17:45:15ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-12-011312121510.3390/rel13121215Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral FoundationsMariola Paruzel-Czachura0Edyta Charzyńska1Institute of Psychology, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-126 Katowice, PolandFaculty of Social Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, 40-007 Katowice, PolandA growing body of work suggests that religiosity is typically associated with deontological or non-utilitarian moral judgments. However, recent conceptualizations of utilitarian psychology show that instrumental harm is just one (negative) dimension of utilitarianism. In the new two-dimensional model of utilitarian psychology, impartial beneficence is the second (positive) dimension of utilitarianism. In the current study, we investigated the relationship between the centrality of religiosity and utilitarianism (its two dimensions) among adults (<i>N</i> = 401). We also examined whether five moral foundations serve as mediators of this relationship. We found that religiosity was directly and indirectly (through the care foundation) related to impartial beneficence. Although the direct effect of religiosity on instrumental harm was insignificant, we found two indirect effects through purity and authority foundations. The results suggest that the relationship between religiosity and utilitarianism is more complex than previously assumed.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/12/1215religiosityinstrumental harmimpartial beneficenceutilitarianismmoral foundationsmoral psychology |
| spellingShingle | Mariola Paruzel-Czachura Edyta Charzyńska Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations Religions religiosity instrumental harm impartial beneficence utilitarianism moral foundations moral psychology |
| title | Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations |
| title_full | Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations |
| title_short | Investigating the Relationship between Centrality of Religiosity, Instrumental Harm, and Impartial Beneficence through the Lens of Moral Foundations |
| title_sort | investigating the relationship between centrality of religiosity instrumental harm and impartial beneficence through the lens of moral foundations |
| topic | religiosity instrumental harm impartial beneficence utilitarianism moral foundations moral psychology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/12/1215 |
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