Understanding Moral Identity

This insightful book explores the concept of moral identity, analyzing theories that have emerged within this field since its genesis in the early 1980s. Tobias Krettenauer presents a comprehensive overview of the subject, providing readers with key information to both broaden and deepen their understanding of the topic.Bringing together perspectives from social, developmental and personality psychology and bridging moral psychology with philosophy, this book makes a unique interdisciplinary contribution to the field. Krettenauer proposes that the concept of moral identity is a fundamental category of moral psychology and indispensable for any comprehensive account of human morality. Chapters cover the origins of moral identity research, moral identity development across the lifespan, social-cognitive perspectives, narrative approaches and evidence from cognitive science. Summarizing extant theories and research, the book also points towards topics that go beyond its scope, providing a rich source of inspiration for future study.Understanding Moral Identity is a crucial resource for scholars and students of moral psychology, as well as academics in related disciplines such as philosophy, education and sociology. Krettenauer’s directions for prospective study will benefit researchers in the field, while his insights on findings from previous studies will be of interest to any professional specializing in morality.