Morally uncertain: the influence of intolerance of uncertainty and perceived responsibility on moral pain

Background and objectives: Morally horrific events can evoke moral pain and may result in a type of psychological distress known as moral injury (MI). Previous research has hypothesized intolerance of uncertainty (IU; the aversive cognitive and behavioural reaction to uncertainty) may predict MI symptomatology due to its influence on perceived responsibility (PR). As such, we examined the influence of IU and PR on moral emotions associated with vignettes depicting morally stressful events.

Method: Participants (n = 245) completed the IU-Scale Short-Form, and were randomly assigned to listen and imagine themselves in a series of vignettes depicting grave moral transgressions committed either by the self (self-transgression condition; STC) or others (OTC). Participants provided ratings of moral emotions and PR in response to each vignette.

Results: Significant positive associations were observed between PR and moral emotions in the STC and OTC. IU's behavioral subdimension, inhibitory IU, was positively associated with moral emotions in the STC. Inhibitory IU did not moderate the association between PR and moral emotions.

Conclusion: Future research should further explore the interplay of inhibitory IU, PR and MI. Understanding the behavioral inaction associated with elevated inhibitory IU may be important in mitigating painful moral emotions following self-transgressed moral violations.