Unraveling Moral Evaluations: A Qualitative Exploration of Young Individuals’ Causal Beliefs and Moral Emotions

Abstract

This article presents an empirical examination of attribution and appraisal theories, focusing on young individuals’ beliefs about causality and feelings toward two social issues impacting the welfare of others: food insecurity and opioid addiction. Using a deductive qualitative approach, this investigation deepens and expands our theoretical understanding of how causal beliefs shape moral evaluations and corresponding emotions. Through focus group discussions ( N = 9), participants revealed distinct patterns of causal cognitions and specific negative, other-oriented moral emotions. Causes of individuals’ hardships were characterized along four themes (personal choices, inherited circumstances, systemic issues, unexpected events), linking beliefs with corresponding discrete emotional experiences resembling contempt, pity, resentment, and compassion. Findings provide a description of attributions that supports a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between causality and emotion, thus contributing to the current theoretical perspective. Practical implications and opportunities for further investigation are discussed in view of the broader goal of developing strategies to amplify civic engagement.