Explaining Moral Reasoning Based on Personality Traits: Studying the Mediating Role of Mindfulness and Individual Values

Sharifi, Amin; Fazilatpoor, Masoud; Fouladchang, Mahboobeh; Khormaei, Farhad

doi:10.22055/psy.2023.44020.3057

Explaining Moral Reasoning Based on Personality Traits: Studying the Mediating Role of Mindfulness and Individual Values

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

amin sharifi ¹

Masoud Fazilatpoor ²

Mahboobeh Fouladchang ³

farhad khormaei ⁴

¹ PhD student, Department of Educational Pyhchology , Faculty Educational Pyhchology, Shiraz University, city Shiraz, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Educational Pyhchology, Faculty of Educational Pyhchology

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Pyhchology , Faculty of Educational Pyhchology, University, city, Iran.

⁴ Associate Professor, Department of Educational Pyhchology , Faculty of Educational Pyhchology, University, city, Iran.

10.22055/psy.2023.44020.3057

Abstract

Moral reasoning is a key element in various approaches to moral philosophy. This study aimed to develop an explanatory model of moral reasoning based on personality traits and cultural values. In this model, personality traits and cultural values were treated as exogenous variables. Mindfulness served as a first-level mediating variable, while personal values acted as a second-level mediating variable. Moral reasoning was designated as the endogenous variable. The participants consisted of 400 students selected through a multi-stage cluster random sampling method from various faculties at Shiraz University. Data were collected using the Big Five Personality Traits Questionnaire (Goldberg, 1999), the Mindfulness Questionnaire (Brown & Ryan, 2003), the Personal Values Questionnaire (Schwartz, 1994), and the Standard Moral Reasoning Questionnaire (Rest, 1973). Data analysis was conducted using path analysis and factor analysis. The findings indicated that among the Big Five personality traits, conscientiousness and openness to experience had significant positive relationships with moral reasoning. Agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness to experience were positively associated with mindfulness. Furthermore, the personal value of self-transcendence was positively related to moral reasoning. Both self-transcendence and self-enhancement values, along with mindfulness, mediated the relationships between the personality traits of neuroticism, openness to experience, and conscientiousness with moral reasoning. It can be suggested that individuals who score high in openness to experience tend to be more mindful. However, in relation to self-transcendence, a negative association may arise due to the presence of unrealistic idealism as a component of self-transcendence. The findings are discussed in the context of existing theories and research.

Keywords

: Personal values

Moral reasoning

Mindfulness

Personality traits

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