Mehlinger (1986) agrees that laws are different from morality. People
may follow laws without a sense of moral obligation. Conversely, people may
have a sense of morality that has nothing to do with any law. Some aspects of
morality are backed by the law and have legal consequences if they are
breached, such as the consequences for murder. Others have no reinforcing
law, such as whether or not to stop and help a person carry a heavy load
(Reiss, 2001).