The Righteous Mind: Moral Foundations Theory - Divided We ...

Haidt argues that humans have six moral foundations through which we view politics and policy: Care/Harm, Fairness/Cheating, Loyalty/Betrayal, ... PrimaryMenu Searchfor: Search HomeBookClubTheRighteousMind:MoralFoundationsTheory ImagebytheMillerCenterattheUniversityofVirginiaviaFlickr:https://www.flickr.com/photos/miller_center/6893285610 Whyaregoodpeopledividedbypoliticsandreligion?Whydosomepeoplelikespicyfoodwhileothersdonot?Theanswers,itturnsout,arerelated. Inhisgroundbreakingbook,“TheRighteousMind,”ProfessorJonathanHaidtattemptstoanswerthefirstquestionbydevelopingaframeworkthathecallsMoralFoundationsTheory(MFT).Haidtarguesthathumanshavesixmoralfoundationsthroughwhichweviewpoliticsandpolicy:Care/Harm,Fairness/Cheating,Loyalty/Betrayal,Authority/Subversion,Sanctity/Degradation,andLiberty/Oppression. Thesemoralfoundations,accordingtoHaidt,actasourpolitical“tastebuds”andexplainourpoliticalpreferencesinthesamewaythatourlingualtastebudsexplainourculinarypreferences.SomepoliticalideologiesrelyontheCare/HarmfoundationwhileothersrelyonLoyalty/Betrayal.SomepeopletasteFairnessintermsofequalitywhileothersdosointermsofproportionality.Somepeopleprefersaltyfood,someprefersweet. TheEvolutionofHaidt’sMoralFoundations Haidt,apsychologist,leansheavilyonevolutionarypsychologytoexplaintheoriginsofthesefoundations.I’llbrieflyrevieweachanddiscussthepoliticalimplicationsofthesemoraltastebuds.Theyarealsosummarizedinthetablebelow. “TheRighteousMind:WhyGoodPeopleAreDividedbyPoliticsandReligion,”Haidt2012 TheCare/Harmfoundationdevelopedthroughtheprotectionofchildren—ourancestorscaredfortheirchildrenandhelpedthemavoidharminhopesofwitnessingthesurvivaloftheirgenesinfuturegenerations.TheCare/HarmfoundationisseenincontemporarypoliticswhenLiberalsputa“SaveDarfur”bumperstickerontheircarorwhenConservativesdothesamewitha“WoundedWarriors”sticker.Thesearecausesthatinterestusbecausewecareabouttheindividualsinvolvedandwishforthemtoavoidharm.Interestingly,LiberalsrelymoreontheCare/HarmfoundationthanConservatives—thisisevidentinLiberalcritiquesof“heartless”Conservativepoliciesonhealthcare,education,orgovernmentspending. TheFairness/Cheatingfoundationevolvedthroughself-interestandreciprocalaltruism.Allorganismsareself-interested,butonceourancestorsdevelopedtheabilitytorememberpastinteractions,theycouldperformaltruisticdeedswiththeexpectationofareturnedfavor.Theycouldalsoenforceconsequencesforaviolationofsuchtrust.Today,theLeftdemonstratestheFairness/Cheatingfoundationwhendiscussingsocialjustice—thinkofdebatesabouteconomicinequalityinwhichDemocratsarguethatthewealthyare“notpayingtheirfairshare.”TheRightdemonstratestheFairness/CheatingfoundationwhenitarguesthatthegovernmenttakesmoneyfromhardworkingAmericans(throughtaxes)andgivesittolazypeople(onwelfareandunemployment)andillegalimmigrants(throughhealthcareandeducation).Whenspeakingaboutfairness,LiberalsaregenerallyalludingtoequalitywhileConservativesaregenerallyalludingtoproportionality.Hence,thedisconnect—atleastinpart.LiberalsstillrelymoreonthefairnessfoundationthanConservatives,butmoreonthattocome. TheAuthority/Subversionfoundationwasalsodevelopedinourtribalpasts.Foragrouptosurvive,asocietalstructurehadtobeestablishedwithaleaderandfollowers.Inpoliticstoday,theAuthority/Subversionfoundationappliestotraditions,institutions,andvalues.ItismorenaturalforConservativestorelyonthisfoundationthanLiberals,whodefinethemselvesinoppositiontohierarchy,inequality,andpower. TheLoyalty/Betrayalfoundationdevelopedasourancestorsaddressedadaptivechallengesincoalitions.Loyaltytothegroup,andhencesurvival,wasfavoredevolutionarily.Today,thehumanpredilectionforin-grouployaltyremainsandaccountsforalargepartofthepolitical“usversusthem”divide.TheRightreliesontheLoyalty/Betrayalfoundationwhenframingdebatesintermsofnationalism,suchastherecentdebateaboutNFLplayerskneelingforthenationalanthem.Generally,ConservativesexpressthisfoundationmorethanLiberals. TheSanctity/Degradationfoundationwasdevelopedthroughtheadaptivechallengesofavoidingpathogens,parasites,andotherexistentialthreatsoriginatingfromphysicaltouchorproximity.Judgedonascalefromneophilia(anattractiontonewthings)toneophobia(afearofnewthings),Liberalsscoremuchhigherforneophilia(forfood,people,music,ideas)thanConservatives,whoprefertostickwithwhatistriedandtrue,guardingboundariesandtraditions.SocialConservativesparticularlyrelyontheSanctity/Degradationfoundationwhendiscussingthesanctityoflife(intheabortiondebate),thesanctityofmarriage(inthegayrightsdebate),andthesanctityofself(inthecontraceptiondebate). Throughalaterwork,Haidtaddedasixthmoralfoundation:theLiberty/Oppressionfoundation.LiketheAuthority/Subversionfoundation,theLiberty/Oppressionfoundationevolvedfromthedynamicsofgroupbehavior,anditviewsauthorityaslegitimateonlyincertaincontexts.Bothsidesflexthisfoundationfrequently.TheLeftreliesonitincritiquesofthewealthy,suchasOccupyWallStreet,andinfavorofthosetheyviewasvictimsandpowerlessgroups.TheRightflexesitinamoreparochialway,concernedwiththespecificgroupstowhichtheybelong.Conservativessay,“Don’ttreadonme,”toBigGovernmentinresponsetohightaxes.Theyextendtheargumenttothespheresofbusinessandnation,objectingtoregulatorypolicyandinternationaltreaties,suchasthosecreatedbytheUnitedNations. ConnectingMoralFoundationstoPoliticalPolarization How,then,dothesemoralfoundationsexplainwhygoodpeopledisagreeonpoliticsandpolicy?TheansweristhatLiberalsandConservativeshavedifferentpalates—ourtastebudsaresimplynotthesame.Inthechartbelow,HaidtshowsthatLiberalsrelyheavilyonCare/HarmandFairness/CheatingwhileConservativesrelyonallfivefoundationssomewhatequally.(NotethattheLiberty/Oppressionfoundationisnotshowninthischart,butwastestedinfurtherstudiesandwasfoundtobeexpressedequallyacrossideologies.) “LiberalsandConservativesRelyonDifferentSetsofMoralFoundations”byGraham,Haidt,andNosek2009 Thereitis,asclearasdaylight.Wearetalkingpasteachotherbecauseofourmoralfoundations.DemocratssaythatattemptstorepealtheAffordableCareActshowthatConservativesdon’tcareaboutlow-incomeAmericanswhileRepublicanssaythatitinfringesontheirliberties.DemocratssaythatkneelingforthenationalanthemisavalidprotestagainstagovernmentthatdoesnottreatAfricanAmericansfairlywhileRepublicansdecryalackofnationalloyalty,defendingthesanctityofthenationalanthem.Read“TheRighteousMind”andtheattendantbodyofscientificliteratureifyouarestillunconvinced. ACalltoExpandOurPalates Despitethestateofourpoliticstoday,thereishope.Haidtnotesthat,liketastebuds,ourmoralfoundationsare“organizedinadvanceofexperience,”—thismeansthattheyareformedatbirthandrefinedthroughtheexperiencesofourlives. Forinstance,Ineverlikedspicyfooduntil—andthisistrue—IwasblindfoldedforatastetestandbitintoanextremelyspicypepperwhiletravelinginIsrael.Ithurt.Iwashedmymouthoutwithcoldwaterforabouttenminutestosoothetheburn.Butafterthat,nothingfeltspicytomeanymore.Asaresult,Idevelopedapalateforspice. Ibelievethesamecanbetrueofourpolitics.Itwillrequireustotrynewfoods—evenfoodweendupdisliking—butwehavetomaketheeffort.Here’stotryingmorespicypeppers. Ifyouenjoyedthisarticle,youcanreadmorelikeithere.Or,followTheRighteousMindhere. 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JosephSchuman #molongui-disabled-link IncomeInequality:DifferingViewpoints JosephSchuman #molongui-disabled-link WhyRevolutionsFail Likethis:LikeLoading... 3comments DrewMcKnigbt July18,2021at6:51pm Ilikethisguy,heardhimonMakingSensePodcast.Well,tomethat’swhathedoes,makesomesenseofallthediscordandstrifeofpartypolitics.Ratherthanjustcontinuinganendlessargumentaboutwhoisrightandwhoiswrong,thatneverreallygoesanywhere,heprovidesinterestingexplanationsofwhywearedrawntodifferentwaysofseeingthesameworld.Ihadbeenhopingsomeonewoulddosomethinglikethisforawhile. Reply DavidStovall July3,2020at3:37am Asaconservativetryingtounderstandthedisparityofideologiesinsocietytoday,IwasencouragethefindHaidt’s“MoralFoundationsTheory,”althoughIdon’tagreewithhisinterpretationsofsurveyresultsthattendtopaintconservativesaslessevolved,non-intellectualbrings. IwasmoreencouragedtoreadtheCatherineCaldwell-Harrisarticle,“Howaliberallearnedtorespectconservativethinking (andacceptthefactthat,yes,therightishappierthantheleft).”ShetooleveragesHaidt’sstudyofmoralfoundations,butgoesfurthertosuggestthattheleaningsfromonecamptoanothercanbeformedbyoursocialsurroundingsaswellaslifeexperiences. Reply DanetteCitti March7,2021at11:22pm Ifthatisyourinterpretation,thenyouaremisunderstandingHaidt.Readhisbook“TheRighteousMind:WhyGoodPeopleareDividedoverReligionandPolitics.”Thereisnothingderogatoryaboutconservativemorality. Reply LeaveaComment Cancelreply Donatetoour#UnitedWeStandCampaign Oureffortsdependonthesupportofreaderslikeyou.Thankyou! Donate SubscribeToday! 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