Why being morally virtuous enhances well-being: A self-determination theory approach

ABSTRACT

Self-determination theory, like other psychological theories that study eudaimonia, focuses on general processes of growth and self-realization. An aspect that tends to be sidelined in the relevant literature is virtue. We propose that special focus needs to be placed on moral virtue and its development. We review different types of moral motivation and argue that morally virtuous behavior is regulated through integrated regulation. We describe the process of moral integration and how it relates to the development of moral virtue. We then discuss what morally virtuous individuals are like, what shape their internal moral system is expected to take and introduce moral self-concordance. We consider why morally virtuous individuals are expected to experience eudaimonic well-being. Finally, we address the current gap in self-determination theory research on eudaimonia.

KEYWORDS:

• Eudaimonia
• morality
• virtue
• self-determination theory
• self-concordance
• happiness

Acknowledgments

We thank Janet Mowery, Marietta Papadatou-Pastou, Randall Curren, and, especially, Pavlos Kontos for helpful comments on earlier drafts.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexios Arvanitis

Alexios Arvanitis is Assistant Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Psychology, University of Crete. His research focuses on ethics and morality in the fields of negotiation, public policy and the study of human behavior. He is especially interested in moral motivation and adopts the framework of Self-Determination Theory in his work.

Matt Stichter

Matt Stichter is Associate Professor of Philosophy in the School of Politics, Philosophy, & Public Affairs at Washington State University. He pursues research at the intersection of moral psychology, virtue ethics, and the philosophy of expertise. He has published many articles and chapters on the ‘virtue-as-skill’ thesis, arguing that the development of virtue should be understood as a process of skill acquisition, and he draws on the psychological research on self-regulation and expertise to formulate this thesis.