Moral Foundations, Values, and Reasoning in Extraordinary Altruists

Abstract

Donating a kidney to a stranger is a rare act of extraordinary altruism that appears to reflect a moral commitment to helping others. Yet little is known about patterns of moral cognition associated with extraordinary altruism. In this preregistered study, we compared the moral foundations, values, and patterns of utilitarian moral reasoning in altruistic kidney donors (n=61) and demographically matched controls (n=58). Altruists expressed more concern only about the moral foundation of harm, but no other moral foundations. Consistent with this, altruists endorsed utilitarian concerns related to impartial beneficence, but not instrumental harm. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find group differences between altruists and controls in global values. Extraordinary altruism generally reflected opposite patterns of moral cognition as those seen in individuals with psychopathy, a personality construct characterized by callousness and insensitivity to harm and suffering. Results link real-world, costly, impartial altruism primarily to moral cognitions related to alleviating harm and suffering in others rather than to global values, fairness concerns, or strict utilitarian reasoning.

Value Orientations of School Principals and Teachers Working in Secondary Schools

“…Universalism; The motivational goals of this type of values are "understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection for the welfare of all people and for nature." (Amormino et al, 2022). 7.…”

Who gives? Characteristics of those who have taken the Giving What We Can pledge

“…Although there is no field‐wide consensus as to what defines an unusual altruist (but see Lawn et al, 2022), a number of studies have begun to examine the motivations and defining characteristics of such altruists across an array of real‐life groups. These include those who risked their lives to rescue Jews in Nazi Germany (Oliner & Oliner, 1988); altruistic kidney donors (Amormino et al, 2022; Brethel‐Haurwitz et al, 2018; Marsh et al, 2014; Vekaria et al, 2017); other organ donors (Rhoads et al, 2022); SARS‐CoV‐2 challenge trial participants (Rose et al, 2021); humanitarian aid workers (Rhoads et al, 2022); people who have received awards for bravery or care (Rand & Epstein, 2014; Walker & Frimer, 2007); those who make an extraordinary commitment to a social organization or charity (Matsuba & Walker, 2004); and those who have engaged in heroic acts of rescue (Rhoads et al, 2022). Holistically the field has proposed that members of these groups vary in their moral values (Amormino et al, 2022; Walker & Frimer, 2007), moral motivation (Rand & Epstein, 2014), beliefs about humanity (Amormino et al, 2022), social discounting for others (Vekaria et al, 2017), certain personality traits (Matsuba & Walker, 2004), attachment style (Walker & Frimer, 2007), and their neural functioning (Brethel‐Haurwitz et al, 2018; Marsh et al, 2014).…”