Ethics and Psychology: Relations and Connections

Document Type : Professional

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Research Center for Ethics and Spirituality, Islamic ‎Sciences and Culture Academy (ISCA), Qom, Iran (Corresponding Author).‎

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Islam and Spirituality Studies, Research Center for Ethics and ‎Spirituality, Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy (ISCA), Qom, Iran.‎

Abstract

One of the key elements in identifying any field of knowledge is recognizing its relationship with neighboring disciplines. This article seeks to explore and introduce the interconnections between ethics and psychology. In doing so, the discussion extends beyond the specialized domain of moral psychology. Among the various branches of the relationship between ethics and psychology, this study focuses solely on the epistemic dimensions of the two fields. It examines four axes of moral psychology: philosophical issues of ethics through the lens of empirical psychology; the dependence of psychology on moral philosophy; moral theology and psychology. In the first axis, "moral psychology", we introduce the main topics and key issues in this area of psychology. In the second axis, we show how contemporary moral philosophers refer to empirical studies to validate their philosophical ideas. Under the axis of "psychology’s dependence on ethics", we explain how psychology, when dealing with ethical subjects, fundamentally requires philosophical discussions, without which its empirical studies lack sufficient validity. In the final axis, "moral theology and psychology", we present the interactions between moral theology and psychology in two parts: a) the clarifications and insights that moral theology offers regarding psychological topics and issues, and b) the impact of psychology in deepening moral theology. In the first part, theological hypotheses and explanations for psychological-moral issues are addressed. In the second part, it is shown how empirical psychological studies can deepen the understanding of religious texts or provide moral theologians with enhanced explanatory capacity.

Keywords


Ahmadlou, M., & Benari, A. H. (2023). The process of motivation creation in moral education from the perspective of the Holy Qur’an. Qur’an and Science, 16(31), PP. 33-56. [In Persian]
Alizadeh, M. (2011a). Always me or sometimes him? A reflection on psychological egoism. Ethics Research Journal, 4(13), pp. 35-62. [In Persian]
Alizadeh, M. (2011b). What is ethics? A meta-ethical analysis of the moral aspect. Ethical Studies, (3), pp. 99-125. [In Persian]
Alizadeh, M. (2016). Psychological determinism: An unfinished hypothesis. In S. M. Mousavi Asl et al. (Eds.), Psychology and Ethics (pp. xx-xx). Qom: Hawzeh and University. [In Persian]
Alizadeh, M. (2022). The relationship between moral knowledge and spirituality studies in the Islamic sciences paradigm. Islamic Spirituality Studies, 1(1), pp. 101-123. [In Persian]
Alizadeh, M., & Teymouri Firidani, A. A. (2017). Self-deception from the perspective of psychology and ethics, with emphasis on the thought of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli. Revelatory Ethics, 5(2), pp. 29-50. [In Persian]
Aram, A., & Fazeli, S. A. (2020). The factors of moral motivation in Ibn Arabi’s mystical theology. Philosophy of Religion, 17(4), pp. 567-585. [In Persian]
Ariely, D. (2011). Predictably irrational: The hidden forces that shape our decisions (R. Rambod, Trans.). Tehran: Mazyar. [In Persian]
Asgarpoor Ali, M., & Sheikh Rezaei, H. (2019). Possibility of overcoming the naturalistic fallacy in ethics from Michael Ruse’s perspective. Philosophical Reflections, 9(22), pp. 245-272. [In Persian]
Atkinson, R. F. (2012). An introduction to ethics (S. Alavinia, Trans.). Tehran: Hermes. [In Persian]
Ayinehchi, A. (2018). Gender differences in attachment to God: The moderating role of identity status. Journal of Gender and Family Studies, 6(1), pp. 12-29. [In Persian]
Bahrami, M. J. (2019). Developing a conceptual model of forbearance based on Islamic and psychological sources (Master’s thesis). University of Qur’an and Hadith, Qom. [In Persian]
Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3(3), pp. 193-209. https://doi.org/ 10.1207/s15327957pspr0303_3
Berkowitz, M. W. (1998). The education of the complete moral person. Gordon Cook Foundation.
Bostan, H. (2019). A rereading of the empirical ijtihad model in religious science. Methodology of Humanities, (98), pp. 30-49. [In Persian]
Bousaliki, H. (2023). A critical review of Martin Hoffman’s theory of empathy. Cultural Psychology, 7(2), pp. 242-267. [In Persian]
Burton, R. V., & Kunce, L. (1995). Behavioral models of moral development: A brief history and integration. In W. M. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Moral development: An introduction (pp. 141-171). Allyn & Bacon.
Cialdini, R. B. (2019). Influence: The psychology of persuasion (G. Ghasemzadeh, Trans.). Tehran: Hormozd. [In Persian]
Damasio, A. (2012). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the human brain (R. Amirrrahimi, Trans.). Tehran: Mehravista. [In Persian]
Davids, R. (2016). A Buddhist manual of psychological ethics. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
Denham, A. E. (2017). Empathy and moral motivation. In H. L. Maibom (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of philosophy of empathy (pp. 335-347). New York: Routledge.
Doris, J., & Stich, S. (2017). Experimental approaches to moral psychology (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) (A. Tavakoli Shandiz, Trans.). Tehran: Ghoqnus. [In Persian]
Doris, J., Stich, S., Phillips, J., & Walmsley, L. (2020). Moral psychology: Empirical approaches. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2020 Edition). https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-psych-emp/
Elyasi, K. (2021). A conceptual study of psychological resilience using the theory of resistance in Islamic teachings (Master’s thesis). Al-Mustafa International University, Mashhad. [In Persian]
Eyvazi, A. (2021). The relationship between the virtue of moderation and well-being in positive psychology with the mediating role of contentment (Master’s thesis). University of Quran and Hadith, Qom. [In Persian]
Fazeli Mehrabadi, A., Mahdizadeh, H., & Tabik, M. T. (2013). Research needs assessment in the domain of the relationship between religion and psychology. Psychology of Religion, 6(1), pp. 5-18. [In Persian]
Frankena, W. K. (2000). Obligation and motivation in late moral philosophy (M. Akrami, Trans.). Organon, (16), pp. 131-168. [In Persian]
Frankena, W. K. (2004). Ethics (H. Sadeghi, Trans.). Qom: Ta. [In Persian]
Fromm, E. (1991). Man for himself: An inquiry into the psychology of ethics (A. Tabrizi, Trans.). Tehran: Behjat. [In Persian]
Ghodousi, A., & Mirdarikvandi, R. (2013). A psychological analysis of arrogance in Islamic texts and comparison with narcissism. Ma'refat, 22(9), pp. 83-93. [In Persian]
Goldstein, R. (2008). Ethics, Judaism and depth psychologies. Psychotherapy Section Review, 44, pp. 19-28. The British Psychological Society.
Greene, J. (2021). Moral tribes: Emotion, reason, and the gap between us and them (G. Ghasemzadeh, Trans.). Tehran: Hormozd. [In Persian]
Haidt, J. (2001). The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment. Psychological Review, 108(4), pp. 814-834. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.108.4.814
Haidt, J. (2021). The righteous mind (A. Yazdani & H. Bahmani, Trans.). Tehran: Novin Tose’e. [In Persian]
Hastings, P. D., Zahn-Waxler, C., & McShane, K. (2010). We are by nature moral beings: Biological bases of concern for others (S. R. Rasti-Tabar, Trans.). In M. Killen & J. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of Moral Development. Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Hogan, R., & Emler, N. (1995). Personality and moral development. In W. M. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Moral development: An introduction. Allyn & Bacon.
Holmes, R. L. (2006). Basic moral philosophy (M. Aliya, Trans.). Tehran: Qoqnoos. [In Persian]
Hosseini Qaleh Bahman, S. A. (2015). An analysis of the structure of the moral system in religions. Religious Studies, 7(25), pp. 114-131. [In Persian]
Izutsu, T. (2008). Ethical-religious concepts in the Qur’an (F. Badre’ei, Trans.). Tehran: Farzan. [In Persian]
Javadi Amoli, A. (2006). Foundations of ethics in the Qur’an. Qom: Isra. [In Persian]
Karimi, M. R., Kaviani, M., & Bosleki, H. (2020). Cognitive factors of moral motivation in the Qur'an based on the source of motivation: Denial of cognitive dissonance. Psychology and Religion, 13(2), pp. 133-148. [In Persian]
Karimzadeh, S. (2014). A critical evaluation of the learning approach to moral development from the Qur’anic perspective. Psychology and Religion, 7(26), pp. 5-38. [In Persian]
Keller, P. (2022). The Christian approach to psychology. Student Works. Brigham Young University. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/studentpub/341/
Khabazi Nejad, E. (2018). A comparative study of the components of moral intelligence from the perspective of Islam and moral psychology (Master’s thesis). Al-Mustafa Virtual University, Qom. [In Persian]
Killen, M., & Smetana, J. G. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of moral development. New Jersey: Taylor & Francis.
Kohlberg, L. (1971). From is to ought: How to commit the naturalistic fallacy and get away with it in the study of moral development. In T. Mischel (Ed.), Cognitive development and epistemology, pp. 151-235. New York: Academic Press.
Kohlberg, L., & Hersh, R. H. (1977). Moral development: A review of the theory. Theory into Practice, 16(2), pp. 53-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405847709542675
Lapsley, D. K. (2010). Stage theories of morality (M. R. Jahangirzadeh, Trans.). In M. Killen & J. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of Moral Development. Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Marvi, M. (2020). A comparative study of antisocial personality disorder from the perspectives of psychology and Islamic ethics (Master’s thesis). University of Quran and Hadith, Qom. [In Persian]
Masoumi, Z. (2020). An Islamic model of forbearance with a positive psychology approach (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Yazd. [In Persian]
Mesbah Yazdi, M. T. (1989). Teachings of the Qur'an. Qom: Dar Rah-e-Haq Institute. [In Persian]
Naderi, F. (2018). The relationship of asceticism and mental health regarding the level of psycho-spiritual development and its explanation based on Islamic sources (Master’s thesis). University of Quran and Hadith, Qom. [In Persian]
Narvaez, D., & Rest, J. (1995). Four components of acting morally. In W. M. Kurtines & J. L. Gewirtz (Eds.), Moral development: An introduction. Allyn & Bacon.
Nazemi Ashni, M. H., Kashani, M., & Kafi Mousavi, A. (2023). A critique of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development from the Qur’anic perspective with a gender structure analysis. Applied Ethics Studies, 13(52), pp. 95-119. [In Persian]
Nucci, L. (2008). Social cognitive domain theory and moral education. In L. P. Nucci & D. Narvaez (Eds.), Handbook of moral and character education, pp. 291-310. New York & London: Routledge.
Paton, H. J. (1953). The categorical imperative. London: Hutchinson’s University Library.
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. (2021). Character strengths and virtues: A classification (M. Zandi & L. Bagheri, Trans.). Tehran: Roshd. [In Persian]
Ra’fatnia, M., & Ale-Yasin, S. A. (2016). The relationship between moral vices in Islamic texts and mental/personality disorders according to DSM-5. 7th International Conference on Psychology and Social Sciences, Tehran. [In Persian]
Rachels, J. (2013). The elements of moral philosophy (M. Fathali & A. Al Bouyeh, Trans.). Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Rezaeian Bilandi, H., Rezvani, S. Z., & Rahmati, A. (2023). Psychological well-being of women based on religious orientation and self-esteem: A path analysis study. Islamic Studies on Women and Family, 10(1), pp. 257-284. [In Persian]
Sanagooizadeh, M. (2021). Discovering moral personality constructs in Islamic texts: A qualitative study. Journal of Applied Ethics, 11(43), pp. 147-174. [In Persian]
Schulman, M. (2002). How we become moral: The sources of moral motivation. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology, pp. 499-512. Oxford University Press.
Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2009). Theories of personality (Y. Seyed Mohammadi, Trans.). Tehran: Virayesh. [In Persian]
Shahsavarani, M., Hakimi Kalkhoran, M., Esmatnia, M., Jafari, S., & Sattari, K. (2016). A systematic review of anger and anger management in Islamic religious texts. Islamic Psychology Journal, 2(4), pp. 8-44. [In Persian]
Smetana, J. G. (2013). Moral development: The social domain theory view. In P. D. Zelazo (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of developmental psychology: Vol. 1. Body and mind (pp. 832-863). New York: Oxford University Press.
Smetana, J. J. (2010). The social domain theory: Similarities and differences in children's moral and social judgments (M. R. Jahangirzadeh, Trans.). In M. Killen & J. J. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of moral development. Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Stueber, K. (2019). Empathy. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/empathy/
Thomas, L. (2001). Moral psychology. In L. C. Becker & C. B. Becker (Eds.), Encyclopedia of ethics (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Tiberius, V. (2021). A new introduction to the psychology of ethics (M. Moqadasi, Trans.). Tehran: Aseman-e Khial. [In Persian]
Turiel, E. (2008). The development of morality. In W. Damon & R. M. Lerner (Eds.), Child and adolescent development: An advanced course, pp. 473-510. New Jersey: Wiley.
Turiel, E. (2010). Thinking, emotions, and social interaction processes in moral development (A. Sheikh Shoaei, Trans.). In M. Killen & J. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of moral development. Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Walker, L. J. (2010). Gender and morality (M. R. Jahangirzadeh, Trans.). In M. Killen & J. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of Moral Development. Qom: Islamic Sciences and Culture Academy. [In Persian]
Wynn, K., & Bloom, P. (2014). The moral baby. In M. Killen & J. G. Smetana (Eds.), Handbook of moral development (2nd ed., pp. 435-453). New York: Psychology Press.
York Al-Karam, C. (2018). Islamic psychology: Towards a 21st century
definition and conceptual framework. Journal of Islamic Ethics, 2, pp. 97-109. https://doi.org/10.1163/24685542-12340016