Moral pride: Basic research and Educational Implications

Abstract

Today, no one doubts the importance of empathy or guilt in moral behavior. However, other emotions continue to be overlooked. One of these is moral pride, the emotion we may feel after carrying out a morally positive action. This paper conducts a review of existing research (scarce and incipient) into this emotion, describing in particular detail five studies with important educational implications. The first two studies focus on the motivational benefits of moral pride, while the others analyze elements that may paradoxically undermine it: personal costs and going against the group majority. Finally, the paper reflects on the educational implications, highlighting both the importance of stimulating the development of this emotion in moral education, and the need to help children overcome those factors which work against it, especially the negative influence of the group.