Motivation and Morality

This book offers an integrative examination of the role of motivation in shaping moral cognition, judgment, and behavior. How do we define good and bad? Where do our moral systems originate? These questions have long sparked inquiry across multiple disciplines, and scholars have debated the answer both within and across fields for centuries. Contributors examine the sociocultural context of morality including norms and norm compliance; psychological frameworks that underlie virtuous behavior and help navigate competing moral obligations; the neurobiology of moral reasoning, and more. In bringing together leading researchers across sociology, philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, this book explains the complex motivational aspects of morality, which represents a crucial step toward understanding how and why our moral choices arise, and in turn can shape and guide how we engage in the daily practice of morality.