Revisiting the Moral Foundations Questionnaire: Integrating Narratives and Bifactor Models

This study examines the validity of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) in the Romanian cultural context, utilizing three independent samples collected over a seven-year period (N=2233). Through multiple analytical approaches, including confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and bifactor modeling, the research reveals significant limitations in existing models of moral psychology, particularly the Moral Foundations Theory (MFT). The analysis of bifactor models suggests that they are better suited to capture the specificity of complex psychological constructs, incorporating significant situational and contextual variability. Building on this, the study proposes a more comprehensive model that integrates the coherence of personal moral narratives and the plasticity of identity into bifactor analysis, offering a deeper understanding of moral judgment. Additionally, the research emphasizes the critical need for exploratory methods and independent replications to continuously enhance the validity and generalizability of assessment instruments. Systemic issues in scientific practices, such as publication bias, lack of replication studies, and pressure for positive results, further obscure the validity of these tools. The study concludes that morality research requires a multidimensional approach that integrates individual narrative processes with social and cultural influences to better capture the complexity of moral phenomena.