Distinctions Between the Morality and Legality of Abortion: Compartmentalized Versus Aligned Attitudes Across Political Affiliation and Abortion Identity

ABSTRACT Introduction Despite commonly conceptualizing and operationalizing attitudes toward abortion through the dimensions of legality and morality, research examining alignment between these dimensions is limited and dated. Method Using a nationally representative sample of US adults, we investigated attitudes toward the morality and legality of abortion across 15 circumstances (health/medical, social/economic, and selective) and for subgroups with varying political and abortion ideologies. We compared aligned attitudes—similar views on the morality and legality of abortion—with compartmentalized attitudes, different views of abortion morality and legality. Results The results indicated that endorsement of legal abortion is common among those who do not believe abortion is moral (a compartmentalized attitude). Aligned attitudes were also common (i.e., belief that abortion is moral and should be legal, or is both immoral and should be illegal). People identifying as pro‐life, Republican, or with no political party had more compartmentalized views in health‐related circumstances, whereas people identifying as pro‐choice, Democrat, or Independent had more compartmentalized views for social circumstances. People identifying as both pro‐choice and pro‐life had compartmentalized views for multiple circumstances. Conclusion Recognizing how alignment and compartmentalization vary across ideological subgroups provides a more robust depiction of abortion sentiment and may facilitate more productive discourse in policy deliberations.