ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the possibility by identifying variations in the moral responses of people who live in different parts of the world. The diversity in moral judgments at the individual level also manifests itself at the cultural level, for what is considered moral differs to some extent from one culture to another. Researchers have used, with some success, the Ethics Positions Questionnaire to predict how people respond in a variety of situations. These studies suggest that, in general, idealism is associated with firm moral convictions, whereas relativism suggests ethical leniency. Consistent with regional differences in idealism and relativism, a majority of the Western countries shared exceptionism as their national moral philosophy. Considerable methodological caution is required before embarking on a cross-cultural analysis of any social and psychological process. Organizational psychologist Gert Hofstede was one of the first researchers to explore cross-cultural variations empirically. In Western nations, the majority of the religiously faithful are Judeo-Christians.
