New research suggests that moral grandstanding may be a major source of conflict in the world today
Do you strongly agree with the following statements?
If so, then you may be a card-carrying moral grandstander. Of course it's wonderful to have a social cause that you believe in genuinely, and which you want to share with the world to make it a better place. But moral grandstanding comes from a different place.
- When I share my moral/political beliefs, I do so to show people who disagree with me that I am better than them.
- I share my moral/political beliefs to make people who disagree with me feel bad.
- When I share my moral/political beliefs, I do so in the hopes that people different than me will feel ashamed of their beliefs.
First defined and delineated in the moral philosophy literature, moral grandstanding can be defined as "the use and abuse of moral talk to seek status, to promote oneself, or to boost your own brand."A moral grandstander is therefore a person who frequently uses public discussion of morality and politics to impress others with their moral qualities. Crucially, these individuals are primarily motivated by the desire to enhance their own status or ranking among their peers.
Let's face it: Moral grandstanding seems to be everywhere these days. As clinical psychologist Joshua Grubbs notes, "Perhaps, just perhaps, part of the reason so many of us are so awful to each other so much of the time on here is related to a desire to show off to likeminded others. In essence, sometimes we behave poorly in an effort to gain the respect and esteem of folks like us."
Interested in scientifically investigating this phenomenon, Grubbs teamed up with the philosophers who first defined moral grandstanding-- Justin Tosi and Brandon Warmke-- as well as the psychologists A. Shanti James and W. Keith Campbell. Across 6 studies (involving 2 pre-registrations involving nationally representative samples), 2 longitudinal designs, and over 6,000 participants, these are their core findings:.......MORE
HT: ZH
