Influence of Cultural Values and Cognitive Styles on Moral Reasoning among Young Adults

Abstract

The study aimed to find the impact of cultural values and cognitive styles on

moral reasoning. The sample for the study was Indian Young Adults within the age range of

18-25 years. The total sample size was 100, of which 35 were males and 65 were females. The

five dimensions of moral reasoning were studied, which included harm/care,

fairness/reciprocity, in-group/loyalty, authority/respect and lastly, purity/sanctity. The topic of

morality has been studied in different subjects over the years. Attempts have been made to find

out what the factors that influence morality. Previous research had shown that culture plays a

major role in understanding how individuals make moral judgements. Context was particularly

considered essential as far as determining morality was concerned. Cognitive styles, that are

the ways preferred by individuals in order to perceive a piece of information, are also

considered essential factors that determine morality. Analytical style has been associated more

with moral values such as autonomy and fairness. Intuitive thinking finds its association with

foundations such as purity, sanctity and authority. Results showed that cognitive styles and

cultural values predicted different moral foundations to varying degrees. Authority was

predicted by cultural values, along with purity. The foundation of harm/care was predicted by

the cognitive style of a person. The findings confirm previous research on moral reasoning.