What Is Morality?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Morals Are EstablishedMorals That Transcend Time and CultureExamples of MoralsMorality vs. EthicsMorality and Laws

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

How Morals Are Established

Morals That Transcend Time and Culture

Examples of Morals

Morality vs. Ethics

Morality and Laws

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Morality refers to the set of standards that enable people to live cooperatively in groups. It’s what societies determine to be “right” and “acceptable.”

Sometimes, acting in a moral manner means individuals must sacrifice their own short-term interests to benefit society. Individuals who go against these standards may be considered immoral.

It may be helpful to differentiate between related terms, such asimmoral,nonmoral, andamoral. Each has a slightly different meaning:

What Is Objective Morality?

Morality isn’t fixed. What’s considered acceptable in your culture might not be acceptable in another culture. Geographical regions, religion, family, and life experiences all influence morals.

Scholars don’t agree on exactly how morals are developed. However, there are several theories that have gained attention over the years:

What Is the Basis of Morality?There are different theories as to how morals are developed. However, most theories acknowledge the external factors (parents, community, etc.) that contribute to a child’s moral development. These morals are intended to benefit the group that has created them.

What Is the Basis of Morality?

There are different theories as to how morals are developed. However, most theories acknowledge the external factors (parents, community, etc.) that contribute to a child’s moral development. These morals are intended to benefit the group that has created them.

Most morals aren’t fixed. They usually shift and change over time.

Ideas about whether certain behaviors are moral—such as engaging in pre-marital sex, entering into same-sex relationships, and using cannabis—have shifted over time. While the bulk of the population once viewed these behaviors as “wrong,” the vast majority of the population now finds these activities to be “acceptable.”

In some regions, cultures, and religions, using contraception is considered immoral. In other parts of the world, some people consider contraception the moral thing to do, as it reduces unplanned pregnancy, manages the population, and reduces the risk of sexually transmitted illnesses.

7 Universal MoralsSome morals seem to transcend across the globe and across time, however. Researchers have discovered that these seven morals seem somewhat universal:Be braveBe fairDefer to authorityHelp your groupLove your familyReturn favorsRespect others’ property

7 Universal Morals

Some morals seem to transcend across the globe and across time, however. Researchers have discovered that these seven morals seem somewhat universal:Be braveBe fairDefer to authorityHelp your groupLove your familyReturn favorsRespect others’ property

Some morals seem to transcend across the globe and across time, however. Researchers have discovered that these seven morals seem somewhat universal:

The following are common morality examples that you may have been taught growing up, and may have even passed on to younger generations:

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To get a sense of the types of morality you were raised with, think about what your parents, community and/or religious leaders told you that you “should” or “ought” to do.

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Some scholars don’t distinguish betweenmorals and ethics. Both have to do with “right and wrong.”

However, some people believe morality is personal while ethics refer to the standards of a community.

For example, your community may not view premarital sex as a problem. But on a personal level, you might consider it immoral. By this definition, your morality would contradict the ethics of your community.

Both laws and morals are meant to regulate behavior in a community to allow people to live in harmony. Both have firm foundations in the concept that everyone should have autonomy and show respect to one another.

Legal thinkers interpret the relationship between laws and morality differently. Some argue that laws and morality are independent. This means that laws can’t be disregarded simply because they’re morally indefensible.

Others believe law and morality are interdependent. These thinkers believe that laws that claim to regulate behavioral expectations must be in harmony with moral norms. Therefore, all laws must secure the welfare of the individual and be in place for the good of the community.

There may be times when some people argue that breaking the law is the “moral” thing to do. Stealing food to feed a starving person, for example, might be illegal but it also might be considered the “right thing” to do if it’s the only way to prevent someone from suffering or dying.

Think About It

It can be helpful to spend some time thinking about the morals that guide your decisions about things like friendship, money, education, and family. Understanding what’s really important to you can help you understand yourself better and it may make difficult decisions easier.

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5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.A lesson on ‘unmoral,’ ‘immoral,’ ‘nonmoral,’ and ‘amoral.‘Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T.The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017.Pers Soc Psychol Rev.2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759Curry OS, Mullins DA, Whitehouse H.Is it good to cooperate? Testing the theory of morality-as-cooperation in 60 societies. Current Anthropology. 2019;60(1):47-69. doi:10.1086/701478Encyclopædia Britannica.What’s the difference between morality and ethics?Moka-Mubelo W.Law and morality. In:Reconciling Law and Morality in Human Rights Discourse. Vol 3. Springer International Publishing; 2017:51-88. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49496-8_3

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Merriam-Webster.A lesson on ‘unmoral,’ ‘immoral,’ ‘nonmoral,’ and ‘amoral.‘Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T.The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017.Pers Soc Psychol Rev.2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759Curry OS, Mullins DA, Whitehouse H.Is it good to cooperate? Testing the theory of morality-as-cooperation in 60 societies. Current Anthropology. 2019;60(1):47-69. doi:10.1086/701478Encyclopædia Britannica.What’s the difference between morality and ethics?Moka-Mubelo W.Law and morality. In:Reconciling Law and Morality in Human Rights Discourse. Vol 3. Springer International Publishing; 2017:51-88. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49496-8_3

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Merriam-Webster.A lesson on ‘unmoral,’ ‘immoral,’ ‘nonmoral,’ and ‘amoral.‘Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T.The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017.Pers Soc Psychol Rev.2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759Curry OS, Mullins DA, Whitehouse H.Is it good to cooperate? Testing the theory of morality-as-cooperation in 60 societies. Current Anthropology. 2019;60(1):47-69. doi:10.1086/701478Encyclopædia Britannica.What’s the difference between morality and ethics?Moka-Mubelo W.Law and morality. In:Reconciling Law and Morality in Human Rights Discourse. Vol 3. Springer International Publishing; 2017:51-88. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49496-8_3

Merriam-Webster.A lesson on ‘unmoral,’ ‘immoral,’ ‘nonmoral,’ and ‘amoral.’

Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T.The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017.Pers Soc Psychol Rev.2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759

Curry OS, Mullins DA, Whitehouse H.Is it good to cooperate? Testing the theory of morality-as-cooperation in 60 societies. Current Anthropology. 2019;60(1):47-69. doi:10.1086/701478

Encyclopædia Britannica.What’s the difference between morality and ethics?

Moka-Mubelo W.Law and morality. In:Reconciling Law and Morality in Human Rights Discourse. Vol 3. Springer International Publishing; 2017:51-88. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49496-8_3

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