Groups as moral anchors

• We want to be respected for our morality — by others who are important to us.
• Moral transgressions of others in our group cause us guilt and shame.
• Distinctive group norms and values anchor our personal moral convictions.
• Ethical business practices can provide moral leadership at work.
• Diverging moral values — more than interests — intensify intergroup aggression.

Morality indicates what is the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’ way to behave. However, what people see as moral can shift, depending on defining norms and distinctive features of the groups to which they belong. Acting in ways that are considered ‘moral’ by the group secures inclusion and elicits respect from others who are important to the self. Morality is a central feature of group membership. This helps explain how moral considerations regulate the behavior of individuals in groups, and when this is likely to elicit conflicts with members of other groups. We show how people's internal moral compass is anchored by socially shared conceptions of morality, which determine behavioral choices of individuals living and working together in communities and organizations.