Beyond Tolerance: The Role of Moral Identity and Sympathy in Fostering Allophilia Regarding People with Disabilities

Abstract

The present study examined the role of moral identity and sympathy in fostering allophilia (positive attitudes towards outgroup members) toward people with disabilities. In a sample of 393 participants, mostly females (55%), aged between 18 and 55 years (M = 20.84, SD = 4.37), we examined moral self and moral integrity and tested sympathy as a mediator. Results suggested that moral self was positively associated with allophilia, both directly and indirectly through higher levels of sympathy, indicating a partial mediation. In contrast, moral integrity was not directly related to allophilia at the correlational level but revealed an inconsistent mediation pattern: it positively predicted allophilia when controlling for sympathy, whereas sympathy indirectly mediated a negative association. These findings suggest that positive intergroup attitudes may emerge through two distinct pathways: an affective route grounded in sympathy and a principled route based on moral consistency. The study extends the literature by highlighting the importance of moving beyond prejudice reduction toward understanding the moral and emotional foundations of allophilia.