People Who Identify with All of Humanity Make Less of a Moral Distinction Between Close and Distant People

Vollständiger Abstract

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In the era of promoting the concept of a “Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,” understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying relational morality in Chinese culture holds important theoretical and practical value, particularly given its hierarchical structure of moral obligations. Across four studies, this research innovatively proposes a calculation method for moral differential mode to deeply explore how identification with all humanity (IWAH) influences Chinese people’s moral differential mode. Study 1 used questionnaires to preliminarily explore the differential characteristics of Chinese people’s moral circles and found that IWAH significantly reduced moral differential mode. Study 2 verified these findings and explored the mediating role of impartial beneficence, initially constructing a mediation model. Study 3 employed experimental methods to manipulate IWAH through priming paradigms, further verifying its causal effect on moral differential mode and the mediating role of impartial beneficence. Study 4 introduced empathy as a moderating variable and found that personal distress and perspective taking moderated the effect of IWAH on moral differentiation mod. Together, these findings provide novel empirical insights into the dynamics of cultural change and social adaptation. They demonstrate how promoting global identification can expand traditional cultural norms, offering psychological pathways to foster inclusive social attitudes crucial for global cooperation and sustainable human development.