The main normative moral theories in Western thought, from deontology to virtue and consequentialist ethics, revolve around conceptions of the moral right, good, and worth. However, a few elementary psychological motives lie at a deeper level. In the present article, I outline the key tenets of regulatory focus, regulatory mode, and the hedonic principle (approach/avoidance), which I define as “motivational primitives,” and provide a conceptual analysis of their links with specific ethical systems. I unveil how moral judgment in each of them is psychologically construed on the basis of the motivational primitives and their underlying self-regulatory processes. The credibility of the proposed framework will be fully brought to life when researchers, having agreed on satisfactory operationalizations and manipulations of the primitives, will be able to reconcile the speculative and the empirical planes.

西方思想中的主要规范道德理论，从义务论到美德和后果主义伦理学，都围绕着道德权利、善和价值的概念展开。然而，一些基本的心理动机存在于更深层次。在本文中，我概述了监管重点、监管模式和享乐原则（接近/回避）的关键原则，我将其定义为“动机原语”，并对其与特定伦理系统的联系进行概念分析。我揭示了他们每个人的道德判断是如何根据动机原语及其潜在的自我调节过程进行心理解释的。当研究人员就原语的令人满意的操作和操作达成一致意见时，拟议框架的可信度将充分体现，

西方思想中的主要规范道德理论，从义务论到美德和后果主义伦理学，都围绕着道德权利、善和价值的概念展开。然而，一些基本的心理动机存在于更深层次。在本文中，我概述了监管重点、监管模式和享乐原则（接近/回避）的关键原则，我将其定义为“动机原语”，并对其与特定伦理系统的联系进行概念分析。我揭示了他们每个人的道德判断是如何根据动机原语及其潜在的自我调节过程进行心理解释的。当研究人员就原语的令人满意的操作和操作达成一致意见时，拟议框架的可信度将充分体现，