The moral identity picture scale (MIPS): Measuring the full scope of moral identity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Morality is core to people’s identity. Existing moral identity scales measure good/moral vs. bad/immoral, but the Theory of Dyadic Morality highlights two-dimensions of morality: valence (good/moral vs. bad/immoral) and agency (high/agent vs. low/recipient). The Moral Identity Picture Scale (MIPS) measures this full space through 16 vivid pictures. Participants receive scores for these two dimensions and for four moral roles: hero, villain, victim, and beneficiary. Self-identified heroes are more empathic, villains more narcissist, victims more depressed. People generally see themselves as heroes, but there are group differences. For example, Duke MBA students self-identify more as villains. Data reveals that the beneficiary role is ill-defined, collapsing the two-dimensional space of moral identity into a triangle anchored by hero, villain, and victim..