Measuring triune ethics orientations

Abstract

According to triune ethics meta-theory (TEM), moral functioning is dynamic and shifting moment to moment. But moral functioning can also harden into dispositional tendencies. This chapter describes several studies that examine TEM dispositions empirically. In order to begin to measure distinctive ethical orientations that arise through developmental experience, we constructed a measure of three ethical orientations (protectionism, engagement, reflective imagination) that include one’s goals and the perceptions others have of the respondent. Factor analyses and results are described. Convergent and divergent validity and mediation were tested in three samples of college students and adults. As expected, the three orientations behaved distinctively in terms of big-five personality, moral emotions and intuitions, moral personality, worldview, and moral reasoning and were distinctively predicted by attachment variables and positive emotions.