Morality, strategy, and emotions: What can contemporary psychological research tell us about their relationship?

Abstract

Previous research has shown that morality matters to strategy, often through emotions. However, this research has not fully engaged with contemporary psychological research to enunciate our understanding of the relationship between morality, strategy, and emotions. This article argues that a proper engagement with contemporary psychological research usefully contributes to our understanding of the given relationship, particularly in the context of strategic studies. Specifically, contemporary psychological research highlights the importance of distinguishing among various specific emotions, explains the complicated relationship between emotion and behavior, allows for finding patterns in variance, and offers an opportunity to study the malleability of morality in strategic context. This improved understanding of the relevant relationship provides solid grounds for further research on the subject.