Haidt

Jonathan Haidt is an American social psychologist and author known for his work on moral psychology and political psychology. He is a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where his research investigates moral emotions, moral reasoning, and the foundations of political attitudes across cultures.

Haidt co-developed Moral Foundations Theory, a framework proposing that moral judgments are built on innate psychological foundations. The original five foundations are care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, authority/subversion, and sanctity/degradation; a sixth foundation, liberty/oppression, was added later. The theory has been used to explain differences in political ideology, noting liberals tend to emphasize care and fairness, while conservatives draw on a broader repertoire.

Notable works include The Happiness Hypothesis (2006), which integrates modern psychology with ancient philosophy to explain well-being, and The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion (2012), which argues that moral disagreements arise from different moral foundations rather than purely rational arguments. His work has influenced public discourse on polarization, education policy, and the design of institutions.

He founded Heterodox Academy in 2015 to promote viewpoint diversity in higher education.

Education and career: Haidt earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and has taught at the University of Virginia and at New York University.

Reception and critique: While influential, Moral Foundations Theory has faced criticism regarding cross-cultural applicability and measurement; Haidt and colleagues have responded with ongoing research and revisions.