The present studies build on the findings of Kolevaby
unpacking the process through which avoidant attachment leads to utilitarian
judgment and, perhaps more importantly, by identifying a second,
separate potential pathway to utilitarianism. Because avoidant
attached individuals are uncomfortable with caring for others, their
focus is refraining from empathizing with the individual to be sacrificed.
In contrast, because anxiously attached individuals are motivated by a
pronounced need to belong, their focus is on satisfying the desires of
the group.
The association between attachment style and moral judgment may
have important implications for real-life moral decision-making. For
example, securely attached individuals' more deontologic framework—
a framework that values individual rights over outcomes—
might help to explain their stronger prosocial tendencies.Similarly, avoidant attached individuals' more utilitarian
framework—a framework that places less value on following rules for
their own sake—may help to explain their greater stated willingness
to cheat on their romantic partners