Handbook of moral motivation: Theories, models ... - Sense Publishers

PART 1FOUNDATIONS OF MORAL MOTIVATIONFoundations consist of fundamental ideas about how to consider, deliberate and studymoral motivation (MM). There are philosophical foundations, which basically relyon Kant’s metaphysics, general psychological foundations or moral foundations, allsynthesizing what influences someone to act or not act morally.In the first chapter, Wren asks very basically: What drives people to be good?Referring to philosophical traditions, as well as to moral psychological approaches,he shares ideas about how to grasp a person’s sources of being driven towardsmoral acting . His distinction between moral motivation and moral motives seems tocontribute meaningfully to a basic understanding of MM.Thoma and Bebeau refer to Rest’s model in which moral motivation is presumedto be the third component relevant for action . They show how this component hasbeen studied in general and in the professions, as suggested by Rest himself, as anappropriate domain for getting to the core of moral motivation.Minnameier develops a different position in regard to moral motivation byproclaiming the provocative thesis that we do not need Rest’s third component toexplain moral behaviour. In the tradition of internalism , he delivers theoreticallysophisticated ideas about how to conceptualize the motivational impact of moraljudgment staying within the classical stage concept of Kohlberg.Thorkildsen, as a researcher with roots in moral as well as in general motivationalpsychology, builds a bridge between both schools of thinking. Based on the stanceof intentions, she proclaims that moral action is explained best via a dynamic systemof moral and non-moral intentions, some of them being developed intuitively, someof them by reflection . To become ready for moral acting is – in the light of thisintentional approach – caused by more than motivational and volitional processes,but rather by moral as well as by non-moral needs or motive s.The editors cluster these four chapters together because they represent fourclassical starting points for thinking about what MM phenomenologically could be.