Moral Psychology

In The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explores the origins of our divisions and points the way forward to mutual understanding. His starting point is moral intuition - the nearly instantaneous perceptions we all have about other people and the things they do. These intuitions feel like self-evident truths, making us righteously certain that those who see things differently are wrong. Haidt shows us how these intuitions differ across cultures, including the cultures of the political left and right.

Are men literally born to cheat? Does monogamy actually serve women's interests? These are among the questions that have made The Moral Animal one of the most provocative science books in recent years. Wright unveils the genetic strategies behind everything from our sexual preferences to our office politics - as well as their implications for our moral codes and public policies.

In this book, evolutionary psychologist Dennis Krebs explains how virtuous behaviors such as altruism, justice, honesty, loyalty, self-control, purity, and respect for authority, have evolved in humans and other species. He argues that the key to solving puzzles of morality—such as what it is, how we acquire moral traits, why we sometimes behave badly, and how we make moral decisions—lies in figuring out what adaptive functions moral traits served in early human environments and how they are influenced by social learning, culture, and strategic social interactions in the modern world.

A pathbreaking neuroscientist reveals how our social instincts turn Me into Us, but turn Us against Them - and what we can do about it. The great dilemma of our shrinking world is simple: never before have those we disagree with been so present in our lives. The more globalization dissolves national borders, the more clearly we see that human beings are deeply divided on moral lines - about everything from tax codes to sexual practices to energy consumption - and that, when we really disagree, our emotions turn positively tribal.

As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.”

Moral rules are comforting—until they fail you. You were told to always tell the truth. Never steal. Treat everyone the same. But real life doesn’t play by those rules. You’ve seen it: the lie that saves a friendship. The theft that feeds a starving child. The promise that’s better broken. These aren't exceptions. They're reminders that morality is messier than we admit—and far more interesting. This isn’t a book about what to think. It’s a book about how to see. Moral Particularism: A Beginner’s Guide – Making Sense of Morality in a Messy World introduces a refreshingly ...

How did humans, a species of self-centered apes, come to care about others? Since Darwin, scientists have tried to answer this question using evolutionary theory. In The Kindness of Strangers, psychologist Michael E. McCullough shows why they have failed and offers a new explanation instead. From the moment nomadic humans first settled down until the aftermath of the Second World War, our species has confronted repeated crises that we could only survive by changing our behavior.

William Griffith Wilson (November 26, 1895 - January 24, 1971) Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous World Service & Conference 1955 also known as Bill W., recovered from alcoholism and initiated a moral and spiritual recovery program in New York City; later traveled to Ohio and co-founded AA with Dr. Robert Smith in Akron. Subsequently he wrote the primary literature for AA, the books "Alcoholics Anonymous". "The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions", "Language of the Heart" and "AA Comes of Age" as well as many articles for their "Grapevine" magazine. Later Bill succeeded in having the 12 Traditions ...

When you think about morality/ethics, what comes to your mind? Is good and evil a matter of opinion? Is it for cultures to decide what is right and wrong? Integrating moral philosophy with positive psychology, Rational Empathy explains why these popular notions of morality are wrong. Morality, as explained in this book, is based on empathy and derived through sheer logic! But why is morality important in the first place? Understanding morality helps us maximize happiness in our lives and bring more happiness to people whom we interact with or influence. Morality, philosophy and psychology ...

Most Americans are now familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its prevalence among troops. In this groundbreaking new audiobook, David Wood examines the far more pervasive yet less understood experience of those we send to war: moral injury, the violation of our fundamental values of right and wrong that so often occurs in the impossible moral dilemmas of modern conflict.

In The Moral Injury Spectrum, clinical psychologists C. Richard Spates Ph.D. and Karis L. Callaway Ph.D. (narrating their own work) deliver a definitive exploration of moral injury—the silent epidemic ravaging veterans, health care workers, educators, and first responders. Published by Audiobook Publishing Services, this audiobook bridges rigorous research, clinical tools, and societal solutions to address one of psychology’s most urgent crises.

Pioneers of Human Behaviour: Lawrence Kohlberg A Gateway to His Life, Theories, and Legacy Lawrence Kohlberg changed how we understand right and wrong. By mapping how moral reasoning evolves from obedience and self-interest to universal principles of justice, he offered a clear, compelling lens on why people make the choices they do—and how societies can grow more just. This concise yet powerful volume distils Kohlberg’s life, six-stage theory, and legacy into clear, engaging chapters. From formative experiences after the Second World War to classroom experiments in “just community”...

We are bombarded every day by reports of bad behaviour: from sexual harassment to political corruption, from bullying to corporate greed. We believe these things are wrong or even evil, but in practice few of us choose to intercede. Why We Act draws on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience to explain why we act differently in groups than when we are alone, how slippery slopes begin and prosper and where the dissonance lies between good intentions and real action.

A psychologist’s paradigm-shifting exploration of moral injury—when your moral compass is misaligned with the outside world, causing pain, stress, and other debilitating symptoms—how it develops, why it matters, and how to repair it.

Pioneers of Human Behaviour: Solomon Asch A Gateway to His Life, Theories, and Legacy Solomon Asch reshaped our understanding of human behaviour by asking a deceptively simple question: How much of what we believe and do is truly our own? His famous conformity experiments revealed the hidden pressures of social influence — showing how easily people surrender their judgment to the majority, even when the truth is clear before their eyes. In doing so, Asch laid the foundations for modern social psychology and gave voice to one of humanity’s most enduring struggles: the tension between ...

Can psychology ethics offer a new platform of moral and ethical leadership in modern society? Are APA ethics standards relevant for individuals across all walks of life and, if so, what stories can be told about the ethical dilemmas that we all face on a daily basis? These questions form the core of this book. Edited by psychologists Sherry Hatcher and Kristine Jacquin with contributions from 10 other authors, the book addresses a wide range of common ethical issues, including confidentiality, multiple relationships, conflicts of interest, sexual and other harassment, informed consent, ...

Movies like American Sniper and The Hurt Locker hint at the inner scars our soldiers incur during service in a war zone. The moral dimensions of their psychological injuries - guilt, shame, feeling responsible for doing wrong or being wronged - elude conventional treatment. Georgetown philosophy professor Nancy Sherman turns her focus to these moral injuries in Afterwar.

Understanding Determinism: How Cause, Choice, and Consequence Shape Our Lives and the Universe is an accessible yet comprehensive guide to one of philosophy’s most enduring and provocative ideas — that every event, from the movement of galaxies to our smallest decisions, is shaped by prior causes. Blending insights from ancient philosophy, modern science, psychology, theology, and technology, this book explores how determinism influences the way we think about free will, responsibility, morality, and the nature of reality itself. Across ten engaging chapters, readers journey from the ...

How can we live a more ethical life? This question has plagued people for thousands of years, but it's never been tougher to answer than it is now. Plus, being anything close to an 'ethical person' requires daily thought and introspection and hard work. To make it a little less overwhelming, this fascinating, accessible and funny book by one of our generation's best writers and adept minds in television comedy, Michael Schur, boils down the whole confusing morass with real life dilemmas

Grudge: Understanding Resentment, Justice, and the Desire to Be Heard is a compassionate, in-depth exploration of why we hold on to emotional pain—and what it means when we can’t or won’t let go. Challenging the cultural narrative that sees resentment as weakness, this book reframes the grudge as a meaningful moral signal: a response to injustice, a protest against silence, and a yearning for dignity. With clarity, warmth, and psychological insight, Dr. Elkhatib guides readers through the layers of resentment—personal, relational, cultural, and spiritual—offering not quick fixes, ...