The Role of Liking in Perceptions of the Moral Responsibility to Help: A Cultural Perspective

Abstract

Three studies examined the impact of liking on perceived responsibilities to help a hypothetical needy other in different types of special relationships. Liking was manipulated between-subjects in the first study involving Indian and American adults (n = 240) and manipulated within-subjects in the second study involving only American adults (n = 80). A third study (n = 40) employed a between-subjects manipulation of liking to examine Indian adults' judgments about low need situations. Americans less frequently judged that there was a responsibility to help siblings or colleagues in cases involving low as contrasted with high liking. Liking had no impact on Indians' perceptions of the moral responsibility to help in any of the cases under consideration or on Americans' perceptions of the moral responsibility of parents. The results highlight the impact of both culture and relationship factors on the role accorded to liking in interpersonal morality and the existence of contrasting culturally based perceptions of social relations.