An approach for the accurate measurement of social morality levels.

Haiyan Liu,Xia Chen,Bo Zhang,Tobias Preis

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0079852

Abstract

In the social sciences, computer-based modeling has become an increasingly important tool receiving widespread attention. However, the derivation of the quantitative relationships linking individual moral behavior and social morality levels, so as to provide a useful basis for social policy-making, remains a challenge in the scholarly literature today. A quantitative measurement of morality from the perspective of complexity science constitutes an innovative attempt. Based on the NetLogo platform, this article examines the effect of various factors on social morality levels, using agents modeling moral behavior, immoral behavior, and a range of environmental social resources. Threshold values for the various parameters are obtained through sensitivity analysis; and practical solutions are proposed for reversing declines in social morality levels. The results show that: (1) Population size may accelerate or impede the speed with which immoral behavior comes to determine the overall level of social morality, but it has no effect on the level of social morality itself; (2) The impact of rewards and punishment on social morality levels follows the “5∶1 rewards-to-punishment rule,” which is to say that 5 units of rewards have the same effect as 1 unit of punishment; (3) The abundance of public resources is inversely related to the level of social morality; (4) When the cost of population mobility reaches 10% of the total energy level, immoral behavior begins to be suppressed (i.e. the 1/10 moral cost rule). The research approach and methods presented in this paper successfully address the difficulties involved in measuring social morality levels, and promise extensive application potentials.

Highlights

A refined understanding of morality is the crystallization of human wisdom, and an embodiment of social civilization and progress
Through a set of computer-based experiments conducted on the NetLogo platform, this study investigates the relationship between moral and immoral behaviors from the perspective of individual moral behavior, and seeks to obtain precise measurements of social morality levels with the aid of computer simulations
3) The abundance of public resources is inversely related to the level of social morality

Summary

Introduction

A refined understanding of morality is the crystallization of human wisdom, and an embodiment of social civilization and progress. A review of Chinese history would quickly reveal that the rise and fall of every dynastic house or regime was accompanied by a similar pattern of moral improvement and deterioration – the dates and the dynastic titles may be different, but the evolutionary trajectories were basically the same. This is what we often refer to as the ‘‘Law of Dynastic Cycles.’’ Over the last 30 years, China’s rapid development has brought about enormous economic benefits, but that had been accompanied by deteriorations in social justice, morality, and trust at the same time [1].

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Conclusion