Not moral “reasoning”: A Libertarian – Communitarian dimension of moral orientation and Schwartz's value types

Abstract

Most studies of moral reasoning are based on the Kohlberg cognitive developmental model. Using an alternative scoring procedure for the Sociomoral Reflective Objective Measure Short-Form (Basinger & Gibbs, 1987) revealed a dimension unrelated to moral reasoning. This was identified as a Libertarian – Communitarian dimension of moral orientation and the development of a new scale to measure this, involving 6650 applicants to medical schools, is described. The moral orientation scores of 166 medical school applicants and undergraduate psychology students were correlated with the Schwartz Values Survey (SVS). Conceptually coherent significant relationships were observed. Factor analysis indicated that a bipolar value dimension of Freedom of the Individual versus Duty to the Group could be added to Schwartz's two-dimensional values structure. The relationships observed between responses to the moral dilemmas of the Mojac scale and the values and value types of the SVS suggest that the Libertarian – Communitarian dimension might be a major psychological variable in linking the values we hold to the moral decisions we make.