# Validation of the moral foundations questionnaire-2 (MFQ-2) in Germany: Psychometric properties and associations with political ideology, religiosity, and personality

## TL;DR

This paper aims to validate a German version of the Moral Foundations Questionnaire-2 to study moral beliefs and their links to personality and ideology.

## Contribution

The study introduces a validated German version of the MFQ-2, enabling moral psychology research in German-speaking populations.

## Key findings

- The German MFQ-2 will be validated for factor structure and reliability.
- Associations with political ideology, religiosity, and personality will be explored.
- The tool will support cross-cultural moral psychology research.

## Abstract

Cross-cultural moral psychology requires robust, validated measures. The Moral Foundations Questionnaire-2 (MFQ-2) is a recent revision of the original MFQ that offers improved assessment of moral intuitions; however, a validated German version is unavailable, limiting moral psychology research in German-speaking populations. This Stage 1 Registered Report Protocol describes the methodology for developing and psychometrically validating a German version of the MFQ-2, with a target sample size of N ≈ 1,200. Its primary aim is to assess the instrument’s factor structure using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling/Confirmatory Factor Analysis, reliability and measurement invariance. A secondary aim is to provide initial construct validity by examining associations with psycho-social correlates, including political ideology, religiosity, personality, and ethics positions. We will test whether theoretically predicted patterns emerge in the German context. By providing a methodologically validated tool, this research will enable investigation of moral belief structures in German-speaking countries and facilitate cross-cultural comparisons in moral psychological science.