Moral identity: What is it, how does it develop, and is it linked to moral action?

Abstract

The study of moral identity may be one of the more promising new trends in moral psychology. Moral identity is the degree to which being a moral person is important to a person’s identity. This article reviews the various ways in which moral identity is understood, discusses predictors and processes of moral identity, and presents evidence regarding links between moral identity and various moral actions. The article closes with a critical evaluation of the moral identity concept and a discussion of future research directions. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development Perspectives © 2011 The Society for Research in Child Development.