Morals and living a moral life are needed to have a successful life. Morals can be a strong contributor to making the best,correct decisions.

What are morals?

By the book, morals are what is right and what is wrong. It is an understanding of what is good or bad behavior. They contribute to living a healthy civilized life. If we all live a life that includes morals, maybe then we could live together productively and peacefully.

Instead of fighting, we could be kind and honest with each other, and be useful contributors to society.

How do psychologists tend to look at morals?

They do not tell people specific standards of appropriate moral behavior. It is not their job. There are many ways that people have, and will justify, their sense of right and wrong. What Psychologists want to know is how a person developed their concepts of what is good and bad.

What are the norms and values that guide his or her behavior?

Where did that way of thinking come from?

There are different elements that contribute to how our moral structure develops. One element is what you have been taught, and the feelings associated with what you learned while you were learning those rules and guidelines.

The feelings that support a person’s morality are called moral emotions. Guilt is a big one, but empathy, fairness, jealousy, and envy each can have an impact on a person’s moral thinking and behavior. That behavior may be good or bad, and may function within, or conflict with, social norms.

As you might expect, psychologists have found that a 4-year old will feel less guilt than an 8-year old. As the child moves into childhood he or she will develop the concept of fairness and unfairness, as well as the concepts of equity and inequity. They can tell when a situation involves equal and unequal treatment. They know if they are getting less than someone else. They also can tell that the person giving them less has different feelings for them versus other people.

As they enter the teenage years and become more interested in peer relationships, feelings like guilt, embarrassment, and shame can have a deep impact. They become aware of how other people think, which then shapes how they think,and how they and other people should act. In adulthood we may think in more of a cost-benefit way.

What may it cost or benefit you to violate moral norms?

What may be the outcome of knowing the right thing to do, but choosing to do something else?

Once we have developed our own moral structure, we are in a position to have opinions about other people’s morals.

What might the other person’s values be?

It has been reported that children as young as 6 can be able to make some judgments about someone who makes a moral violation. They can spot wrongdoing. Teenagers can figure out other people’s intentions in a context of moral behavior as they watch a person over time.

The other person’s thinking and behavior patterns become clear after repeated episodes. This helps you know who you can trust. Another aspect of moral behavior is recognizing that your decisions and actions can impact other people. This idea has been called moral responsibility.

Will what you do help, harm, hurt, reward, or punish another person?

The answer to that can affect family, friends, coworkers, or even your community. We do not live in a bubble. We impact the people around us. Being selfish and self-centered is not a positive attribute. It says a lot about your moral structure and character.

Researchers have found that children between the ages 3 and 6 can decide to help other people. By age 8 they can share what they have to make things equal.

Prior to that age fairness is probably based more on the child’s own self-interest, self-benefit, or advantage. As teenagers develop they can understand that different people need to be treated differently depending on each person’s needs, circumstances, and wants.

Situational and personality differences need to be factored in order to make the best decision. This has something to say about whether what you are doing is right or wrong, good or bad. Our decisions about what is right and wrong,or good and bad, will have a lasting impact on us, as well as the people and world around us.

There is much more than this little article can convey about our internal and external rules, standards and morals, and how important they are. If you know the right thing to do,but choose to do something else, you should not be surprised if you don’t like the outcome.

Morals matter.

— Dr. Joseph Switras provides clinical psychological services at United Health District in Fairmont to people age 5 and up.