Merely priming in-group membership may trigger morality principle shifts without moral content

Evidence

These preliminary findings may also be seen as caused by the in-group-prime that is inherent in the in-group-perpetrator condition. That is, enhanced loyalty and authority may simply increase as a consequence of priming the in-group (at present we are conducting further studies to disentangle this possibility). If this were to be the case, then it could be that morality principles can switch even in the absence of a clear moral dimension to the situation, and that we are predisposed to reconfigure our morality system, likely along with other systems, when we are processing information relative to, and as a member of, an in-group. In other words, the shift in morality principles that we observed could be part of a larger re-configuration of the self that is the topic of much research in self-categorization theory (Turner et al., 1987). — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2140

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to self-categorization theory and social identity research; echoes the in-group/out-group dynamics familiar from social identity literature. — connects to: Conflict both demands belief in in-group morality and creates urgent need to question it — Sonia Roccas and Yechiel Klar and Ido Liviatan, The Paradox of Group-Based Guilt: Modes…, 5; Perceived in-group moral violations trigger defensive cognitive distortions. — Sonia Roccas and Yechiel Klar and Ido Liviatan, The Paradox of Group-Based Guilt: Modes…, 46; Group affiliation alone can override moral condemnation of cheating. — Lee McIntyre, Post-Truth, 102 (+2 more)