The moral commitment problem, moral emotions and moral judgments. An evolutionary analysis

This presentation provides an overview of an integrated theoretical model firmly rooted in a gene-culture coevolutionary framework, which addresses empathy, moral intuitions, and moral emotions such as anticipated anger and guilt as solutions to moral commitment problems—commonly understood as failures to cooperate. Building on previous research, we examine the relationships between three key commitment problems—stealing, breaking promises, and punishing free riders—and moral intuitions, moral emotions, and moral judgments (i.e. judgments about the wrongness of rule-breaking). Rule violations and punishment decisions can be interpreted as (conditional or alternative) behavioral strategies. In line with the work of Frank, Tomasello, de Waal, and Haidt, we propose that moral intuitions and emotions function as moral commitment devices that promote social cohesion within groups. This study emphasizes the role of proximate mechanisms, including empathy, altruistic preferences, anticipated guilt, and moral indignation, in explaining individual differences in moral judgments and intentions related to stealing, punishing free riders, and breaking promises. Our results are based on a large-scale survey of Flemish young adults (N = 1496). The implications of these findings and directions for future research will be discussed.

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