Abstract :
Prior research on moral motivation has primarily
emphasized moral reasoning and moral emotion; however,
identity may also play an important role. Therefore, the purpose
of the present study was to examine the relative importance
of prosocial identity, prosocial moral reasoning, and
empathy in predicting prosocial behavior. The sample included
91 university students, ages 19–35 years (M=21.89;
SD=3.01; 80% European American; 65% female). Prosocial
identity and empathy, but not prosocial moral reasoning,
were positively associated with overall prosocial behavior.
Exploratory analyses examined how these three sources of
prosocial motivation differentially related to six forms of
prosocial behavior. Results suggest the importance of considering
the roles of all three sources of moral motivation.
