Do Perceptions Of Warmth And Competence Explain Moral Norms Regarding Different Social Roles?

Taking Moral Foundations Theory as the morality framework, this study asked whether moral norms are prescribed differentially for various social roles, and what mechanism can be deemed responsible for that. We tested social perception as formulated by Stereotype Content Model as one such mediating mechanism. High- and low-status roles from three social contexts varying in solidarity were presented to participants who expressed their perception of the roles' warmth and competence, as well as moral prescriptions/proscriptions regarding them as both actor and target of acts. Perceived warmth mediated the relationship between solidarity and role-as-actor Fairness, Sanctity, and Liberty, and role-as-target Care and Sanctity, whereas competence mediated the link between perceived status and role-as-target Care and Fairness. Moreover, the interaction of warmth and competence predicted role-as-actor Authority and role-as-target Liberty. Overall, we found evidence for the role-dependency of moral norms, partially explained through perception of the social roles, thereby involving the underlying motive of protecting ingroups' and reference groups' position as suggested by SCM. However, given a number of unmediated links, other motives are also suspected to be involved, which remain to be explored.