An Initial Integration of Constructs that Account for Moral Actions: Moral Foundations, Values and Character Strengths

Morality has been described as a psychological system comprising sets of values, practices, institutions, and psychological mechanisms that work together to support moral/socially positive behavior. Nonetheless, there have been relatively few efforts to integrate these diverse constructs. We address this limitation using data from two samples who completed measures of moral foundations (Moral Foundations Theory), values (Schwartz Value Theory), and character strengths (VIA Framework). First, we used principal components analysis to summarize the complex patterns of association among these variables. We then tested whether the extracted components overlapped with normal and maladaptive personality trait domains (HEXACO and DSM-5 Model for Personality Disorders). Finally, we tested incremental validity of the three frameworks. In both samples, variance among variables was explained by four components that were suggestive of different “psychological systems” (networks of associated constructs) that may be linked to individual differences in moral action: Universal caring, preservation, self-control, and self-expansion. Further analyses suggested these emergent components are not reducible to single personality domains, each sharing variance with multiple domains. Finally, incremental validity analyses suggested that moral foundations, basic values, and VIA character strengths are complementary rather than redundant constructs, each explaining unique variance in criterion variables (empathy and moral identity).