Models of moral decision making: Literature review and research agenda for discrete choice analysis

This paper aims to explore the potential of the discrete choice analysis-approach as a toolbox and research paradigm for the study of moral decision making. This aim is motivated by the observation that while the study of moral choice behaviour has received much attention in Economics and Psychology, the explicit consideration of the moral dimension of decisions is rare in the Choice modelling field. I first review a number of classical theories and results concerning the nature of moral decision making, and how it is shaped by social processes. Based on this review, I discuss in what ways the discrete choice modelling approach can be used to gain new insights into moral decision making, and how ideas from the moral decision making literature may be used to enhance the behavioural realism of choice models. I will argue that these research endeavours hold the potential to further increase the appeal and applicability of discrete choice models in the broader social sciences.