Morality and Religion

Question 1

early views of morality

Answer 1

people distinguish moral norms from conventional norms

Question 2

moral norms

Answer 2

right/wrong independent of authority and context

Question 3

conventional norms

Answer 3

dependent on authority and convention

Question 4

what are the key moral principles in early views?

Answer 4

1. harm/compassion
2. justice/rights

Question 5

what are the “big three” moral ethics

Answer 5

ethics of autonomy
ethics of community
eithics of divinity

Question 6

ethics of autonomy

Answer 6

protects justice and individual rights

harm/care
fairness/cheating

Question 7

utilitarianism

Answer 7

focuses on outcomes and tries to maximize benefits and minimize harm

Question 8

ethics of community

Answer 8

interpersonal obligations within the social order

loyalty/betrayal
authority/subversion

Question 9

eithics of divinity

Answer 9

standards of purity, sanctity, or degradation

Question 10

deontology

Answer 10

focuses on the act itself and follows moral principles

Question 11

How does relational mobility affect moral reasoning?

Answer 11

High relational mobility (changing relationships) - More utilitarian

Low relational mobility (stable relationships) - More deontological

Question 12

define kinship intensity

Answer 12

how deeply people are connected to relatives in social relationships

Question 13

How does kinship intensity relate to relational mobility?

Answer 13

High kinship - Low relational mobility, trust focused on ingroups, fairness limited to family and friends.

Low kinship - High relational mobility, fairness extends to strangers

Question 14

What dominates in places with low kinship intensity?

Answer 14

The ethic of autonomy

Question 15

morality views on intentional vs accidental harm in different societies

Answer 15

all agree that intentional harm is wrong

Tight kinship societies: View accidental harm as more wrong

Loose kinship societies: View accidental harm as less wrong

Question 16

what role does religion play in cultural variation

Answer 16

religion affects psychology and behaviour

Question 17

proximate explanations for why people are religious

Answer 17

1. cultural transmission though socialization
2. motivational factors
3. cognitive styles

Question 18

ultimate explanations for why people are religious

Answer 18

1. by product of evolved cognitive processes
2. cultural evolution (supports group survival through intra-group cooperation and conflict resilience)

Question 19

according to self-reported measures, are religious people more prosocial?

Answer 19

yes.

but these results may be influences by social desirability concerns

Question 20

according to behavioural measures, are religious people more prosocial?

Answer 20

it depends. evidence is weak

prosocial effects are often parochial (benefiting ones ingroup)

Question 21

Why is Christianity prominent in psychological studies?

Answer 21

• associated with WEIRD
• most widespread religion

Question 22

what are the key features of christianity (especially protestantism)?

Answer 22

1. emphasizes individual mental states over kinship
2. encourages impartial pro sociality (helping others equally)

Question 23

What is Weber’s “Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”?

Answer 23

1. Individualized relationship with God
2. Everyone has a Calling: Unique God-given purpose
3. Predestination: Heaven/hell determined before birth

Question 24

Why is the U.S. notable for its Protestant cultural legacy?

Answer 24

Americans are more religious than expected based on wealth, education, and cultural norms