How moral adaptability relates to communication and friendship with morally dissimilar others

Abstract

ABSTRACT Moral differences hinder communication and relationship formation. However, perceptions and reactions to moral dissimilarity varies. Accordingly, we explored how moral adaptiveness (a flexible application of morality) relates to the intent to communicate with and befriend morally dissimilar others by focusing on moral relativism (believing that morals are subjective) and moral tolerance (believing that one should not condemn/change dissimilar others). We observed adaptiveness’ relationships with the willingness to communicate (WTC) with morally dissimilar others and greater moral diversity in close friendship networks. Surveys of convenience samples of adults recruited through MTurk (Nstudy1 = 325; Nstudy2 = 1219) demonstrated partial evidence of a positive link between moral adaptiveness and WTC. By comparison, a consistent relationship between adaptiveness and the moral diversity of friendship networks did not emerge.