Negotiating morality: Religion, education, and moral foundations in a dual-cultural context

This study examined the relationship between religiosity and moral foundations and the moderating role of education, among Arab citizens of Israel, a minority population situated at the intersection of traditional and liberal cultural influences. Based on Moral Foundations Theory (MFT), we hypothesized that religious individuals would endorse moral foundations more strongly than their non-religious or traditional peers, and that education would moderate this association. A cross-sectional survey conducted among a convenience sample of 310 Arab adults in Israel showed that four of the five moral foundations (excluding Harm) were significantly higher among religious participants. Additionally, years of education were positively associated with all five moral foundations. Most importantly, education moderated the relationship between religiosity and moral foundations: this association was significant primarily among participants with lower levels of education and attenuated or non-significant among those with higher education. Purity was an exception, remaining significantly related to religiosity at both education levels, though more strongly among less-educated participants. These findings highlight the complex interaction between religion, education, and morality in culturally hybrid societies, and suggest that education may moderate the moral influence of religiosity, except in domains deeply rooted in religious tradition.