Social Justice and Social Order: Binding Moralities across the Political Spectrum

2016/03/31 by Ronnie Janoff‐Bulman, Nate C. Carnes · 1 citation
Psychology · Social Sciences · Neuroscience · #Cultural Differences and Values #Social and Intergroup Psychology #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment #Morality #Politics #Intrapersonal communication #Ideology #Social order #Social psychology #Interpersonal communication #Social philosophy #Criminology #Economic Justice #Social group #Sociology #Political science #Environmental ethics #Social relation #Law #Psychology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152479

openalex publication_date 2016/03/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02

Abstract

Two studies explored the relationship between political ideology and endorsement of a range of moral principles. Political liberals and conservatives did not differ on intrapersonal or interpersonal moralities, which require self-regulation. However differences emerged on collective moralities, which involve social regulation. Contrary to Moral Foundations Theory, both liberals and conservatives endorsed a group-focused binding morality, specifically Social Justice and Social Order respectively. Libertarians were the group without a binding morality. Although Social Justice and Social Order appear conflictual, analyses based on earlier cross-cultural work on societal tightness-looseness suggest that countries actually benefit in terms of economic success and societal well-being when these group-based moralities co-exist and serve as counterweights in social regulation.

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Cited by

• Moral psychology [wikipedia]

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