Prestige and Dominance as Differential Correlates of Moral Foundations and Its Clinical Implications

Objective: The ways people use for social rank (dominance vs prestige) could explain difference attitude toward five moral foundations. The aim of this study was to investigate the differential relationship between prestige, dominance and moral foundations. Methods: This study conducted with 150 participants who respond to the moral foundation questionnaire and dominance-prestige scale. Multiple regression analysis revealed that prestige was positively associated with four kind of moral foundation (harm/care, reciprocity/fairness, loyalty/subversion and purity/sanctity) whereas dominance was negatively associated with harm/care, reciprocity/fairness and progressivism. Prestige had stronger association with moral foundations than dominance. Conclusion: It seems that dominance as a social status seeking strategy is against any moral foundation; but prestige could increase attention to morality foundation in decision making toward every life issues.