Moral identity robustly determines moral judgements irrespective of the language we use

Evidence suggests that moral decision-making is influenced by the language – first (L1) or second (L2) language – in which bilinguals face and respond to moral dilemmas. However, the interaction of language with individual and contextual factors has received scant attention. This study investigated the role of moral identity in moral decision-making of 106 Greek L1 speakers, a population that is highly exposed to English L2. The study was preregistered prior to data collection and analysis. We used four (two realistic and two unrealistic) moral dilemmas and Black and Reynolds’ (2016) Moral Identity Questionnaire, and we analysed the data by means of multivariate and mediation analyses. Language (L1 versus L2) did not influence neither moral judgements nor the self-reported emotional intensity that the participants experienced while reading the moral dilemmas; it only had a small effect on moral self. By contrast, moral identity significantly predicted moral judgements and emotions – higher scores on moral self and moral integrity were linked to more deontological decisions and stronger emotional intensity. We conclude that both moral identity and the strong presence of the L2 in L1 society may cancel out the influence of language on moral judgements.