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Moral Circles Heatmap

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Part of a series on Politics / Government. [View Related Entries]

Related memes: What Does The 'Moral Circles' Heatmap Mean And How Accurate Is It? Analyzing The Chart Turned Meme

An Opinion Dismissed image macro based on the liberal Moral Circles heatmap.
A user uses the "Opinion Dismissed" meme based on the liberal Moral Circles heatmap against another user on X.
A user argues that liberal moral allocation is more destructive than islamophobia.
The moral circles heatmap used out of context.
A user brings up the Moral Circles heatmap to support a point.
Far-right commentator Jack Posobiec posts the Moral Circles heatmap.
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About • Origin • Spread • Various Examples • Search Interest • External References • Recent Images

About

Moral Circles Heatmap refers to two heatmap charts of moral allocation distribution done by conservative and liberal participants. The charts, in which the larger rings also include the smaller rings, reflect how conservatives and liberals distribute their moral regard, with the highest value on the conservatives' heatmap falling within the "all of your friends" range and the highest value on the liberal responders' heatmap falling within the "all living things in the universe including plants and trees" circle. Starting in 2024, the heatmap has been used by conservatives in online arguments to argue that liberals hold less regard for their family and friends than for migrants, strangers and humanity as a whole. A reaction image based on the chart is known as Opinion Dismissed Heatmap.

Origin

The heatmaps come from a sociological study titled "Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle," authored by Adam Waytz, Ravi Iyer, Liane Young, Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham, which was published[1][2] on September 26th, 2019.

Study 3a published in the paper had 130 United States residents including 64 liberals, 31 moderates and 36 conservatives with a median age of 36 completing a moral allocation task. The participants allocated 100 "moral unites" among 16 categories, pictured as increasingly large concentric circles, ranging from "all of your immediate family" to "all things in existence."

The results of the study, visualized as a heatmap, revealed that liberal participants tended to include non-humans, with the highest value on the heatmap falling in the "all living things in the universe including plants and trees" range. Meanwhile, conservative respondents tended to give more parochial replies, with the highest value on their heatmap falling within the "all of your friends (including distant ones)" range (chart shown below).

Heatmaps indicating highest moral allocation by ideology. Moral circle rings, from inner to outer, are described as follows: (1) all of your immediate family, (2) all of your extended family, (3) all of your closest friends, (4) all of your friends (including distant ones), (5) all of your acquaintances, (6) all people you have ever met, (7) all people in your country, (8) all people on your continent, (9) all people on all continents, (10) all mammals, (11) all amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds, (12) all animals on earth including paramecia and amoebae, (13) all animals in the universe, including alien lifeforms, (14) all living things in the universe including plants and trees, (15) all natural things in the universe including inert entities such as rocks, (16) all things in existence.

Importantly, the instructions for the task clarified that the selected number included the numbers below it as well, meaning that larger circles (such as number 10 "all mammals") also included smaller circles 1 to 9 ("all of your immediate family," "all people you have ever met," etc.) (supplementary note shown below).

A supplementary note for the "Extent of your moral circle" task which clarifies that the circle respondents select also include the smaller circles.

Spread

On November 12th, 2021, iFunny[7] user Volt reposted the heat map with the description from the study, commenting, "Liberals are all mentally ill", with the post gaining over 230 smiles and 60 comments in roughly three years.

On May 7th, 2023, X[3] user @robkhenderson posted the heatmap along with the procedure description, interpreting it as "liberals devoting most of their concern to plants, trees, and inert entities such as rocks." The post (shown below) garnered over 520,000 views, 1,000 reposts and 3,900 likes in two years.

Rob Henderson @robkhenderson Every 6 months my mind returns to this heatmap indicating that conservatives devote the majority of their empathy and care to family and friends and liberals devote most of their concern to plants, trees, and inert entities such as rocks. nature.com/articles/s4146... ervatives 12 0 Libera:edure. All participants completed a moral allocation task, in which part s allocated 100 "moral units" among the following 16 categories, picture easingly large concentric circles (see full depiction of task in Supplementa 4): all of your immediate family; all of your extended family; all of your cl ds; all friends including more distant friends; all acquaintances; all peopl have ever met; all people in your country; all people on your continent; eople on all continents; all mammals on all continents; all hibians, reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds; all animals on earth includin mecia and amoebae; all animals in the universe, including alien lifeforms g things in the universe including plants and trees; all natural things in 1 erse including inert entities such as rocks; all things in existence. Particip the following instructions: n this section, we would like to think about your capacity to help, to give o be charitable, to show empathy, and to be generous-in other words our capacity to behave morally. We can think about people having lifferent amounts of moral units-like currency-that they can spend or others and can allocate to different moral circles. Some people devote all o heir moral units to one circle whereas others try to divide up their mora inits amongst multiple circles. Again, by moral circle, we mean the circle o people or other entities in which you are concerned about right and wrong lone toward them. oral allocation by ideology, Study 3a. Source data are provided as a Source Dave also explained to participants that these categories were non-overlapp and 12 units for conservatives. Moral circle rings, from inner to outer, are d that giving to one category (e.g., extended family) would not include an nded family, (3) all of your closest friends, (4) all of your friends (including sive category (e.g., immediate family). Participants completed two iteration e ever met, (7) all people in your country, (8) all people on your continent, (task (order randomized). In one, they were asked to allocate moral units , mammals, fish, and birds, (12) all animals on earth including paramecia an should ideally divide them. In the other, they were asked to divide them as > all living things in the universe including plants and trees, (15) all natural tonally do so in their daily lives. These allowed us to assess differences bet al and ideal moral allocation, but no meaningful differences emerged. T existence 4:07 AM • May 7, 2023 529.6K Views

The chart did not achieve a significant spread online until 2024. On June 5th, 2024, X[4] user @malmesburyman used the heatmap as a supporting argument in a post about the use of the term "white fortressing" by liberals. The post (shown below) garnered over 300 reposts and 3,200 likes in six months.

A post about "White Fortressing" using the Moral Circles heatmap to make a point

On September 8th, 2024, right-wing political commentator Jack Posobiec posted the heatmaps, commenting, "Liberals care more about people / things further away from them than people closer." The post received over 370 reposts and 1,700 likes on X[5] in four months, further popularizing the heatmap online.

In late 2024, the heatmaps saw more use as an argument against liberalism online, eventually becoming used out-of-context as more users became familiar with the chart.

For example, on December 20th, X[6] user @kenzietuff posted the chart without an annotation, commenting, "It is wild how much it really does all come down to this." The post (shown below) received over 2,100 reposts and 40,000 likes in two weeks.

The moral circles heatmap used out of context.

Steak and Avocado Version

On December 31st, 2024, X[8] user @PostMillone posted an image of a steak and an avocado laid out on two plates, with steak symbolizing the conservatives and the avocado symbolizing the liberals, and the image itself being a reference to the heatmap. The image (shown below) achieved popularity as a reaction in January 2025.

Images of steak and avocado on a plate, symbolizing conservatives (steak) and liberals (avocado), while the meme itself references the distribution of the Moral Circles Heatmap.

Various Examples

A user argues that liberal moral allocation is more destructive than islamophobia.
A user clarifies that circles on the Moral Circles Heatmap are inclusive.
An Opinion Dismissed image macro based on the liberal Moral Circles heatmap.

Search Interest

External References

[1] Nature – Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle

[2] National Library of Medicine – Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle

[3] X – @robkhenderson

[4] X – @malmesburyman

[5] X – @JackPosobiec

[6] X – @kenzietuff

[7] iFunny – Volt

[8] X – @PostMillone

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Moral Circles Heatmap meme image example.

Moral Circles Heatmap

Part of a series on Politics / Government. [View Related Entries]

Updated Jan 27, 2025 at 06:11AM EST by Philipp.

Added Jan 08, 2025 at 09:33AM EST by Philipp.

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Related memes: What Does The 'Moral Circles' Heatmap Mean And How Accurate Is It? Analyzing The Chart Turned Meme

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About

Moral Circles Heatmap refers to two heatmap charts of moral allocation distribution done by conservative and liberal participants. The charts, in which the larger rings also include the smaller rings, reflect how conservatives and liberals distribute their moral regard, with the highest value on the conservatives' heatmap falling within the "all of your friends" range and the highest value on the liberal responders' heatmap falling within the "all living things in the universe including plants and trees" circle. Starting in 2024, the heatmap has been used by conservatives in online arguments to argue that liberals hold less regard for their family and friends than for migrants, strangers and humanity as a whole. A reaction image based on the chart is known as Opinion Dismissed Heatmap.

Origin

The heatmaps come from a sociological study titled "Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle," authored by Adam Waytz, Ravi Iyer, Liane Young, Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham, which was published[1][2] on September 26th, 2019.

Study 3a published in the paper had 130 United States residents including 64 liberals, 31 moderates and 36 conservatives with a median age of 36 completing a moral allocation task. The participants allocated 100 "moral unites" among 16 categories, pictured as increasingly large concentric circles, ranging from "all of your immediate family" to "all things in existence."

The results of the study, visualized as a heatmap, revealed that liberal participants tended to include non-humans, with the highest value on the heatmap falling in the "all living things in the universe including plants and trees" range. Meanwhile, conservative respondents tended to give more parochial replies, with the highest value on their heatmap falling within the "all of your friends (including distant ones)" range (chart shown below).


Heatmaps indicating highest moral allocation by ideology. Moral circle rings, from inner to outer, are described as follows: (1) all of your immediate family, (2) all of your extended family, (3) all of your closest friends, (4) all of your friends (including distant ones), (5) all of your acquaintances, (6) all people you have ever met, (7) all people in your country, (8) all people on your continent, (9) all people on all continents, (10) all mammals, (11) all amphibians, reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds, (12) all animals on earth including paramecia and amoebae, (13) all animals in the universe, including alien lifeforms, (14) all living things in the universe including plants and trees, (15) all natural things in the universe including inert entities such as rocks, (16) all things in existence.

Importantly, the instructions for the task clarified that the selected number included the numbers below it as well, meaning that larger circles (such as number 10 "all mammals") also included smaller circles 1 to 9 ("all of your immediate family," "all people you have ever met," etc.) (supplementary note shown below).


A supplementary note for the "Extent of your moral circle" task which clarifies that the circle respondents select also include the smaller circles.

Spread

On November 12th, 2021, iFunny[7] user Volt reposted the heat map with the description from the study, commenting, "Liberals are all mentally ill", with the post gaining over 230 smiles and 60 comments in roughly three years.

On May 7th, 2023, X[3] user @robkhenderson posted the heatmap along with the procedure description, interpreting it as "liberals devoting most of their concern to plants, trees, and inert entities such as rocks." The post (shown below) garnered over 520,000 views, 1,000 reposts and 3,900 likes in two years.


Rob Henderson @robkhenderson Every 6 months my mind returns to this heatmap indicating that conservatives devote the majority of their empathy and care to family and friends and liberals devote most of their concern to plants, trees, and inert entities such as rocks. nature.com/articles/s4146... ervatives 12 0 Libera:edure. All participants completed a moral allocation task, in which part s allocated 100 "moral units" among the following 16 categories, picture easingly large concentric circles (see full depiction of task in Supplementa 4): all of your immediate family; all of your extended family; all of your cl ds; all friends including more distant friends; all acquaintances; all peopl have ever met; all people in your country; all people on your continent; eople on all continents; all mammals on all continents; all hibians, reptiles, mammals, fish, and birds; all animals on earth includin mecia and amoebae; all animals in the universe, including alien lifeforms g things in the universe including plants and trees; all natural things in 1 erse including inert entities such as rocks; all things in existence. Particip the following instructions: n this section, we would like to think about your capacity to help, to give o be charitable, to show empathy, and to be generous-in other words our capacity to behave morally. We can think about people having lifferent amounts of moral units-like currency-that they can spend or others and can allocate to different moral circles. Some people devote all o heir moral units to one circle whereas others try to divide up their mora inits amongst multiple circles. Again, by moral circle, we mean the circle o people or other entities in which you are concerned about right and wrong lone toward them. oral allocation by ideology, Study 3a. Source data are provided as a Source Dave also explained to participants that these categories were non-overlapp and 12 units for conservatives. Moral circle rings, from inner to outer, are d that giving to one category (e.g., extended family) would not include an nded family, (3) all of your closest friends, (4) all of your friends (including sive category (e.g., immediate family). Participants completed two iteration e ever met, (7) all people in your country, (8) all people on your continent, (task (order randomized). In one, they were asked to allocate moral units , mammals, fish, and birds, (12) all animals on earth including paramecia an should ideally divide them. In the other, they were asked to divide them as > all living things in the universe including plants and trees, (15) all natural tonally do so in their daily lives. These allowed us to assess differences bet al and ideal moral allocation, but no meaningful differences emerged. T existence 4:07 AM • May 7, 2023 529.6K Views

The chart did not achieve a significant spread online until 2024. On June 5th, 2024, X[4] user @malmesburyman used the heatmap as a supporting argument in a post about the use of the term "white fortressing" by liberals. The post (shown below) garnered over 300 reposts and 3,200 likes in six months.


A post about "White Fortressing" using the Moral Circles heatmap to make a point

On September 8th, 2024, right-wing political commentator Jack Posobiec posted the heatmaps, commenting, "Liberals care more about people / things further away from them than people closer." The post received over 370 reposts and 1,700 likes on X[5] in four months, further popularizing the heatmap online.

In late 2024, the heatmaps saw more use as an argument against liberalism online, eventually becoming used out-of-context as more users became familiar with the chart.

For example, on December 20th, X[6] user @kenzietuff posted the chart without an annotation, commenting, "It is wild how much it really does all come down to this." The post (shown below) received over 2,100 reposts and 40,000 likes in two weeks.


The moral circles heatmap used out of context.

Steak and Avocado Version

On December 31st, 2024, X[8] user @PostMillone posted an image of a steak and an avocado laid out on two plates, with steak symbolizing the conservatives and the avocado symbolizing the liberals, and the image itself being a reference to the heatmap. The image (shown below) achieved popularity as a reaction in January 2025.


Images of steak and avocado on a plate, symbolizing conservatives (steak) and liberals (avocado), while the meme itself references the distribution of the Moral Circles Heatmap.

Various Examples


A user argues that liberal moral allocation is more destructive than islamophobia. A user clarifies that circles on the Moral Circles Heatmap are inclusive. An Opinion Dismissed image macro based on the liberal Moral Circles heatmap.

Search Interest

External References

[1] Nature – Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle

[2] National Library of Medicine – Ideological differences in the expanse of the moral circle

[3] X – @robkhenderson

[4] X – @malmesburyman

[5] X – @JackPosobiec

[6] X – @kenzietuff

[7] iFunny – Volt

[8] X – @PostMillone

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spindash64
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spindash64

IF this study is correct, it explains a lot about online etiquette for conservatives vs liberals. If you don't really care about the opinions of someone living 500 miles away from you, you don't feel a need to talk politely when they say something you think is stupid.

I've spent enough time talking to actually, real life people to know that many of these conservatives, even the ones who listen to the stuff we associate with super hateful people… are nowhere near as bad in person.

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