A New Measure of Moral Boundaries: Investigating Group Values

• In Event: 152 - Section on Altruism, Morality and Social Solidarity Paper Session. Open Topic on Section on Altruism, Morality and Social Solidarity

Abstract

Values are core to the self and represent an individual’s social location. We suggest their perceived moral properties are crucial for signaling social identities, though little quantitative research has empirically linked value orientations with social inclusion and exclusion. The growing literature on boundary formation can begin to be specified through a new measure of values expanded to capture how individuals delineate core in-group and out-group members. Using data from four samples, we demonstrate that this new moral boundaries instrument holds construct, criterion and external validity, and is a promising empirical tool that helps quantify and test propositions about the abstract notion of moral boundaries.

Authors

• Ethan Rogers, University of Iowa

• Rengin Bahar Firat, Georgia State University

• Hye Won Kwon, University of Iowa

• Steven Hitlin, University of Iowa