The Development of Moral Judgments, Emotions, and Sentiments

This chapter addresses interconnections between moral judgments and emotions. The development of morality, which begins in early childhood, involves a construction of reasoning about welfare, justice, and rights. A critique is provided of propositions that emotions are primary in moral functioning. In that context, common uses of intuition and guilt are critiqued, with a reframing of guilt as reflection and regret. Positive emotions of sympathy, empathy, and affection as evaluative appraisals are interconnected with the development of moral judgments. It is also proposed that emotions are not separate from processes of moral thinking and moral decision-making. Additionally, the idea of general sentiments, as somewhat distinct from emotions, is considered as part of the process of moral development. Three key sentiments are identified: the value of life, respect for persons, and human dignity.