Beyond aesthetic judgment: Beauty increases moral standing

Abstract

Researchers have identified several factors that may increase the moral value that people place on various entities (e.g., mind perception), yet the role of aesthetic judgment has never been investigated. We suggest that perceptions of beauty extend beyond mere preference, also signalling that beautiful targets possess a moral value that is worthy of protection. Across four studies (N = 1,162) we found that people have a greater desire to protect beautiful (vs. ugly) animals (Study 1), humans (Study 2), landscapes (Study 3) and buildings (Study 4). Furthermore, we found purity intuitions to mediate the effect of beauty on the desire to protect, suggesting that beauty increases the moral value individuals place on targets through evoking moral intuitions of purity. We also observed that, in addition to purity, perceived utility helps to explain the link between beauty and a desire to protect, consistent with the view that beauty signals non-moral value.