Role of Social Orientation on Moral Behavior Regarding the Mediating Role of Spirituality

The present study aimed to investigate the role of social orientation on moral behavior، regarding the mediating role of spirituality. Using a random multi-stage cluster method، 407 students were selected from among Tabriz University students. Data were gathered by Lussier Moral Behavior Inventory، Harrison social orientation questionnaire، and a researcher-made questionnaire on spirituality، which was based on the Malekian theory of spirituality. The results showed that by increasing the social orientation as well as spirituality، moral behavior is enhanced. On the other hand، as social orientation rises، spirituality is increased. Besides، findings of path analysis revealed that social orientation could have a direct effect on moral behavior or it could indirectly influence it through the mediating role of spirituality. In addition، results obtained by multiple regression method suggested that both spirituality and social orientation could predict part of the changes observed in moral behavior in a compound manner. The results suggest that various factors such as social orientation and spirituality contribute in developing moral behavior. Consequently، morality is developed in social context and individual spiritual experiences through interpersonal interactions result in the manifestation of behavior based on moral features.