This thesis explores the integration of insights from moral psychology and moral character research into Official Development Aid (ODA) allocation criteria, arguing for its potential to enhance the moral foundations of development cooperation and improve aid effectiveness. Despite the widespread acknowledgment of geopolitical interests and the evolution of aid modalities, the discussion on aid allocation has largely overlooked moral considerations. By assuming a shift towards non-political allocation mechanisms and a genuine interest in aid effectiveness among donor governments, the thesis aims to substantiate the proposition that incorporating moral psychology and character research can strengthen the ethical basis of development cooperation. Through theoretical and practical research, the subsequent chapters endeavor to provide support for this proposition. Official Development Aid (ODA) allocation of bi- and multilateral donors should take into account insights from research in moral psychology and moral character. It is argued that among the reasons for doing so are strengthened moral foundations of development cooperation and increased aid effectiveness. Reflections on this topic are relevant, given that the link between aid recipient's moral outlooks and aid allocation criteria has received practically no attention in theorizing development cooperation, while voices critical towards this field of work have, if anything, increased considerably in recent years.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Central Part
2.1. Official Development Aid, German Efforts and Criteria
2.2. Moral Psychology and Moral Character – what is it about
2.3. The case against Moral Psychology and Character in ODA Allocation
2.4. The case for Moral Psychology and Character in ODA Allocation
3. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This thesis examines the potential for integrating insights from moral psychology and character research into the Official Development Aid (ODA) allocation criteria. The fundamental research question explores whether incorporating such psychological perspectives can strengthen the moral foundations of development cooperation and enhance the overall effectiveness of aid disbursements.
- The critique of current, purely interest-driven or bureaucratic ODA allocation mechanisms.
- Empirical identification of how human moral psychology influences decision-making in high-pressure environments.
- The debate between prioritizing framework-based governance versus individual moral character in recipient countries.
- Proposing a more integrated, ethically informed approach to foreign assistance policy.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. Moral Psychology and Moral Character – what is it about
According to Doris and Stich (2014, p. 1), moral psychology “investigates human functioning in moral contexts, and asks how these results may impact debate in ethical theory. [It] is interdisciplinary, drawing on both the empirical resources of the human sciences and the conceptual resources of philosophical ethics”. For our purposes, this is straightforward – it means nothing else than empirically investigating how people (re)act in moral situations, and then channeling the results into theory building.
The notion of “moral character”, on the other hand, is not as straightforward, as its contents vary according to philosophical currents throughout the centuries. In the context of this paper, however, it is not overly important whether what we understand under “moral character” is linked to the idea of virtue in the ancient Greek’s sense (virtue being difficult to pin-point in its own right), or closer to natural law theorists such as Grotius or Kant who considered a person with good moral character to be one with high self-mastery or continence (Doris and Stich 2014). What is worth retaining is merely the following mélange, based on the author’s own interpretation of the notion of moral character: a) for any given situation, individuals possibly act differently, b) some courses of action can be considered more ethical than others, c) a person’s character, that is the combination of physical, biological, educational and societal influences that constitute it’s being at any moment, determines it’s actions. This understanding embraces the alleged “threats” of situationism, however interpreting it as the suggestion that character traits are not a single all-overwriting algorism that is carved in stone, but function rather like a regression analysis, in the sense that they may change with the introduction of additional variables.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the problem of ineffective ODA allocation and argues that moral psychology offers a neglected, yet vital potential to improve aid outcomes.
2. Central Part: This section provides an overview of current German ODA criteria, defines key concepts in moral psychology/character, and debates the pros and cons of integrating these psychological insights into development policy.
3. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the main arguments, reaffirming that ignoring psychological and character-based factors in development cooperation is unethical and counterproductive.
Keywords
Moral Psychology, Moral Character, Official Development Aid, ODA, Aid Effectiveness, Development Cooperation, Governance, Anti-Corruption, Situational Ethics, Allocation Criteria, Recipient Accountability, Behavioral Science, Ethical Theory, Foreign Aid Policy, Value-based Development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary motivation for this thesis?
The work aims to address why mainstream development cooperation lacks a moral anchor in its allocation logic and seeks to bridge this gap using empirical data from moral psychology and character research.
Which thematic fields are central to the analysis?
The paper navigates through development aid strategy, the philosophical study of moral character, and empirical moral psychology, linking these to governance and foreign policy.
What is the core research question?
The inquiry seeks to determine if integrating findings regarding human behavior in moral situations can increase the effectiveness and ethical integrity of international aid distribution.
Does the author recommend a specific scientific methodology?
Yes, the author advocates for the application of empirical psychological frameworks—such as the CAPS Model or the Big 5—as analytical tools to evaluate and improve the design of institutional and developmental projects.
What does the main body explore?
The main part critically evaluates current German ODA systems, discusses empirical models of moral character, and addresses strong counter-arguments from the fields of traditional development and anti-corruption studies.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The core of the study is characterized by terms like Moral Psychology, ODA, Aid Effectiveness, Development Cooperation, and Behavioral Science.
How does the author view the 'moral character' of aid recipients?
The author argues that individual moral character is a critical, often ignored factor in how aid is actually utilized, contending that practitioners would prefer working with 'good' actors in a damaged institution over 'corrupt' actors in a perfect setup.
What is the author's response to the argument that this approach is too expensive to implement?
The author suggests that the cost of inaction and failure in aid delivery is higher, and that existing research can be effectively leveraged to optimize current allocation strategies without requiring exhaustive new psychological testing for every individual.
- Quote paper
- Jan Prothmann (Author), 2019, How Insights from Moral Psychology and Character Research can aid Development Cooperation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1466029
