ABSTRACT
Our inner moral compass is anchored by the groups we belong to and the moral norms that these set. The tendency of groups to clarify how they are distinct from each other can result in diverging moral guidelines. It is hardly a novel insight that groups and their norms can influence the behavioral choices individuals make. This chapter presents examples to show that it is not always easy to predict how groups impact the behavior of individuals, or to anticipate when group memberships will benefit or undermine moral displays. There is a need to assess the effects of group memberships more specifically, to understand how moral behavior stems from people's sense of self and the way they relate to others. The chapter also considers the origin of moral convictions that people may have, and the role groups play in developing these convictions. Moral behavior serves as a social test to assess whether people are deserving of inclusion and intragroup respect.
