Are Moral Emotions Adaptive?
Are moral emotions adaptive?
Moral emotions are experienced by everybody in some way or form and relate to how individuals respond to moral violations. Moral emotions may be critically important in understanding people’s behavioural adherence (or lack of adherence) to their moral standards (Tangey, Stuewig & Mashek, 1992). Kroll and Egan (2004) state that “Moral emotions provide the motivational force—the power and energy— to do good and to avoid doing bad”. There are many moral emotions that individuals experience such as sympathy, pride and embarrassment; however the moral emotion that is going to be the focus of this essay is guilt This particularly links to Kroll and Egan’s (2004) definition of moral emotions focusing on avoiding doing bad. By guilt we refer to an individual 's unpleasant emotional state associated with possible objections to his or her actions, inaction, circumstances, or intentions (Baumeister, Stillwell & Heatherton 1994). There is substantial research into the topic of guilt, however it provides contradicting evidence to whether it is an adaptive trait or not. An adaptation can be thought of as a feature of an organism that has been shaped by natural selection such that it enhances the fitness of the possessor (Cartwright, 2008). Characteristics essential to adaptive behaviour are those such as maintaining survival and reproductive success. The essay question has been addressed by analysing research within different areas in psychology such as evolution, genetics, development, psychological disorders and behaviourism, and assessing whether the evidence found relates guilt to adaptive behaviour.
Evolutionary theorists, such as Trivers (1985), have suggested that in order to prevent individuals performing exploitative actions that could potentially damage their relationships, guilt emerged from natural selection. Guilt can enhance relationships in various ways such as motivating respectable treatment of partners, minimising
Moral emotions are experienced by everybody in some way or form and relate to how individuals respond to moral violations. Moral emotions may be critically important in understanding people’s behavioural adherence (or lack of adherence) to their moral standards (Tangey, Stuewig & Mashek, 1992). Kroll and Egan (2004) state that “Moral emotions provide the motivational force—the power and energy— to do good and to avoid doing bad”. There are many moral emotions that individuals experience such as sympathy, pride and embarrassment; however the moral emotion that is going to be the focus of this essay is guilt This particularly links to Kroll and Egan’s (2004) definition of moral emotions focusing on avoiding doing bad. By guilt we refer to an individual 's unpleasant emotional state associated with possible objections to his or her actions, inaction, circumstances, or intentions (Baumeister, Stillwell & Heatherton 1994). There is substantial research into the topic of guilt, however it provides contradicting evidence to whether it is an adaptive trait or not. An adaptation can be thought of as a feature of an organism that has been shaped by natural selection such that it enhances the fitness of the possessor (Cartwright, 2008). Characteristics essential to adaptive behaviour are those such as maintaining survival and reproductive success. The essay question has been addressed by analysing research within different areas in psychology such as evolution, genetics, development, psychological disorders and behaviourism, and assessing whether the evidence found relates guilt to adaptive behaviour.
Evolutionary theorists, such as Trivers (1985), have suggested that in order to prevent individuals performing exploitative actions that could potentially damage their relationships, guilt emerged from natural selection. Guilt can enhance relationships in various ways such as motivating respectable treatment of partners, minimising
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