Relationship-based moral judgments: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT

The goal of the present study was to explain the pattern of familiar and unfamiliar relationships influencing moral judgments. In this qualitative study, relationship-based moral judgments were examined according to the constructivist theory. The studied sample included 27 individuals, including 14 women and 13 men (both young and old), living in Tehran. A purposeful sampling method was used. In order to collect data, participants were faced with moral dilemmas using semi-structured interviews. The results showed that emotional intimacy, lack of tolerance for loss of loved ones and avoiding future regrets, group loyalty and common goals, and real or symbolic threats and a negative relationship were factors involved in relationship-based moral judgments. These factors, alone or together with cognitive biases, lead to unfair moral judgments, and after recognizing moral concerns related to ignoring the principle of equality, people tend to use Moral Disengagement mechanisms to reduce self-blame.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive bias
• constructivist grounded theory
• Moral Disengagement
• moral judgments
• relationship-based moral judgments

Disclosure statement

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

Patient consent statement

Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Availability of data and material

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Mahsa Mehdizadeh

She is a researcher of psychology at Alzahra University in Iran. She took his PhD degree from the University of Alzahra, Iran, in 2020. She has published articles in the following journals: Psychiatry research; International Journal of Developmental Disabilities; Indian journal of psychological medicine. She has taught courses such as research methods, Epistemology, and Psychology of Religion, Philosophy of Science and Moral Psychology.

Zohreh Khosravi

She is a Professor of psychology at Alzahra University in Iran. Some of her books are: Psychological Foundations of Gender (2002, Iran, Ministry of Higher Education) and Contemporary Psychological Theories: toward Realistic Constructivism (2007, Iran, Ilm). She has taught courses such as research methods, psychopathology in the cultural context, and psychology of religion. Some of her published works are about Islamic psychology, spiritual intelligence, and spiritual factors related to mental health.

Khosrow Bagheri Noaparast

Bagheri took his Ph. D degree from the University of New South Wales, Australia, in 1994. He is Professor of Philosophy of Education at the University of Tehran. He has made contributions to a wide range of topics in philosophy of education, Religion and personal construct psychology; topics from different viewpoints, such as constructive realism, neo-Pragmatism, action theory, deconstruction, Hermeneutics, and Islamic philosophy of education. In 2011 he was awarded First order Medal of Research (The Distinguished Researcher) by the University of Tehran.

Abolfazl Sabramiz

He is an assistant professor of philosophy at Acecr Institute for Humanities and Social Studies (IHSS) in Iran. He took his Ph. D degree from the University of Isfahan, Iran, in 2018. He has published articles in the following Areas: Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Ethics, Philosophy of Understanding and moral psychology.