Cultivating multigenerational moral expansion: Interventions cultivate moral concern for future generations in boundless and zero-sum contexts

Abstract

In three studies (N = 8775) including two pre-registered experiments and a pre-registered cross-national replication across five countries, we tested whether intergenerational appeals that emphasize our responsibility to protect future generations can expand our moral circle to include distant future people within the boundaries of moral regard. Importantly, asking participants to roleplay as a leader of a committee protecting future generations (Studies 1–2) and having them partake in a philosophical thought exercise emphasizing reduction of intergenerational harm (Studies 1–3) increased moral concern felt towards future generations. This was noted when moral expansiveness was construed as limitless (Study 1) and zero-sum (Studies 2–3). When moral concern was construed as zero-sum, moral concern attributed to ingroup members was re-allocated to future generations. Spillover effects for present entities were also noted. The present evidence illustrates that intergenerational appeals have the potential to expand our moral circle, increasing moral regard felt towards future people and potentially even shaping our moral concern expressed towards present entities.