Observed variability and complexity of judgments of “right” and “wrong” cannot be readily accounted for within extant approaches to understanding moral judgment. In response to this challenge, we present a novel perspective on categorization in moral judgment. Moral judgment as categorization (MJAC) incorporates principles of category formation research while addressing key challenges of existing approaches to moral judgment. People develop skills in making context-relevant categorizations. They learn that various objects (events, behaviors, people, etc.) can be categorized as morally right or wrong. Repetition and rehearsal result in reliable, habitualized categorizations. According to this skill-formation account of moral categorization, the learning and the habitualization of the forming of moral categories occur within goal-directed activity that is sensitive to various contextual influences. By allowing for the complexity of moral judgments, MJAC offers greater explanatory power than existing approaches while also providing opportunities for a diverse range of new research questions.

在理解道德判断的现有方法中，观察到的“对”和“错”判断的可变性和复杂性无法轻易解释。为了应对这一挑战，我们提出了一种关于道德判断分类的新颖视角。道德判断作为分类（MJAC）结合了类别形成研究的原则，同时解决了现有道德判断方法的关键挑战。人们培养进行与上下文相关的分类的技能。他们了解到各种对象（事件、行为、人等）在道德上可以分为正确或错误。重复和排练会产生可靠的、习惯化的分类。根据这种道德分类的技能形成解释，道德类别形成的学习和习惯化发生在对各种情境影响敏感的目标导向活动中。通过考虑道德判断的复杂性，MJAC 提供了比现有方法更大的解释力，同时也为各种新研究问题提供了机会。