Trait contempt, anger, disgust, and moral foundation values

Abstract Moral emotion researchers have suggested that violations of different moral values may differentially elicit state contempt, anger, and disgust. However, research investigating trait emotions and their associations with moral values has largely focused on trait disgust; in this context, few studies have examined trait anger, and none have examined trait contempt. Across two studies, we examined trait contempt, anger, and disgust and their associations with six moral values: harm/care, fairness, loyalty, authority, purity, and reciprocity/equity. Participants completed trait contempt, anger, and disgust instruments and a measure of moral values. Multiple regressions were used to examine the unique associations between trait emotions and endorsement of each moral value. Across the two studies, trait contempt was negatively associated with multiple moral values (consistently with harm/care and loyalty), whereas trait disgust was positively associated with multiple moral values (consistently with harm/care and reciprocity/equity). Trait anger was weakly associated with harm/care and fairness values in Study 2, but not Study 1. Our results highlight an important new link between a contemptuous personality and diminished moral values, and suggest that trait disgust is strongly associated with moral values outside the purity domain.