The Psychology of Moral Outrage: Why Do Some People Get Triggered More Than Others?

The year is 2025, and the world is awash with triggers. You could be idly scrolling through cat videos when a different type of clip appears—footage of police brutality, for instance, or scenes of environmental devastation. You’ve every right to feel disgusted. But what’s frustrating or upsetting for some people can feel truly personal to others. Anger may pulse through their veins, and it’s all they can do to keep from lashing out at the wrongdoers and screaming at the injustice of the world. 

An intense emotional response like this is known as moral outrage. It can be a powerful force for social change when it drives people to act or speak up, but equally can leave certain personalities too exhausted to act, worn out by the never-ending sense of injustice.

What is Moral Outrage?

Before we talk about why moral outrage strikes some people more than others, it helps to define what we feel when it hits. “Moral outrage is what happens, or what you feel, when you sense that a grave injustice has been done to somebody else,” says Dr. Charles Sweet, MD, psychiatrist and medical advisor at  Linear Health. “It’s a lot like anger, resentment and sadness all rolled into one.”

Anita Webster, LCSW and psychotherapist at Inner Life Therapy, echoes this sentiment. She calls moral outrage “a mix of anger, disgust and frustration” that’s often triggered when someone witnesses “a serious injustice, especially if it feels intentional or preventable.”

Unlike general anger which can come up for any number of reasons, moral outrage is tied to our deeply held beliefs. It strikes when we perceive a major violation of our moral principles or ethical standards. 

It’s a powerful emotional reaction, yes, but it’s also a snap judgment—it’s what happens when your emotions and your sense of right and wrong react together. As Dr. Sweet explains, “It starts as a moral judgment when you witness or read about something that runs counter to your values. One of the responses to that emotion of righteous indignation is to tell people how morally outraged you are.”

On a neurological level, there’s a lot going on when you experience moral outrage. “The brain activates regions associated with emotional processing and threat detection, like the amygdala and insula,” says Webster. “The sympathetic nervous system kicks in, leading to increased heart rate, tense muscles, and that ‘fight’ energy. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex is assessing what happened and making moral judgments.” 

In other words, your brain is responding to a direct assault on your sense of what is right and real. You might feel that you have no control over it, since your reaction is instinctive. And while it’s possible for us all to experience moral outrage at some point, how often and how deeply you feel it will depend on both your personality and the values you hold dear to your identity. 

Which Personalities Are Triggered? 

The Big Five personality system is a popular and scientifically validated framework that helps explain the main ways our personalities can differ. The five traits of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism all play a role in how we respond to the world—including how likely we are to get triggered by moral outrage.

Openness to Experience

People who score high in Openness tend to be curious, imaginative and open-minded, and often have strong and sometimes alternative moral, political or social beliefs. Webster says this can “influence the kinds of issues a person is outraged by, especially around social or cultural change. They may be more attuned to social justice issues or progressive causes and feel outrage when those values are threatened. They may also be more willing to challenge norms or speak out against injustice.”

As Sweet puts it, people who are Open to Experience are “usually in tune with their feelings,” and they’re also willing to question authority. Together, these traits make them more likely to stand up for what they believe in and act when their sense of fairness is challenged. 

Conscientiousness

People who are more Conscientious than average could also have a higher level of moral sensitivity. However, their feeling of outrage may be triggered when they see rules being broken, responsibilities ignored or commitments not upheld—like a political scandal, for example. “Those who feel strongly about rules and order may be more sensitive to violations of fairness or justice,” Webster says.

Conscientious people are self-controlled and may express their outrage in a measured, deliberate way rather than impulsively. They’re more likely to channel their outrage into planned and responsible action rather than reacting on impulse or venting aggressively.

Agreeableness

Agreeableness reflects a person’s tendency to be kind, cooperative and trusting of others. People who score highly on this trait may feel extremely distressed when their sense of social harmony is disrupted but, at the same time, they won’t like causing a fuss or upsetting others. So—when faced with something that affronts their morals—they could be more likely to push things down than take to the streets in activism. 

“People high in Agreeableness may struggle with expressing moral outrage outwardly because they tend to avoid conflict and prioritize harmony. However, they can still experience it internally,” says Sweet. “Over time, that suppression can build up as emotional fatigue, resentment or even guilt, especially if they feel like they’re not standing up for what’s right.”

Neuroticism

Neuroticism is a personality trait associated with negative emotions like moodiness and anxiety. Sweet says that Neurotic people might have strong reactions to perceived injustice because, “They tend to view the world more negatively than others, which can feed into recognizing and expressing moral outrage.”

As well as experiencing strong negative emotions, people high in Neuroticism often struggle with emotional regulation, which is the art of staying calm under pressure. As such, they may show less resilience to stressors or upsetting events. Should they come across a trigger, whether it’s a news story or social media post, they may be quick to anger or despair. “Those who are more emotionally reactive may feel outrage more intensely,” says Webster. Even minor injustices can feel overwhelming since they find it hard to let go of negative feelings or move past perceived wrongs.

Does Upbringing Play a Role? 

While personality traits can and do influence a person’s values, triggers and responses, it would be naive to overlook the other factors at play. How you were brought up culturally can also impact the likelihood of you becoming outraged.

“Our moral compass is shaped early on by the communities we belong to: family, faith, culture, political affiliation, and even peer groups,” says Webster. “So when something threatens the values of a group we identify with, it often feels like a personal violation.”

For instance, if you grew up in a religious home where clear distinctions between right and wrong were emphasized, you may carry that into adulthood. Similarly, parents or caregivers with strong convictions about justice are likely to pass their views down. “Cultural norms play a huge role in shaping our sense of right and wrong,” says Webster. “Someone raised in a collectivist culture may view loyalty to family or community as a core moral value, while someone from a more individualistic background might prioritize personal freedom or autonomy.” 

Ultimately, the roots of moral outrage are complex. Recognizing this complexity is the first step—understanding whether moral outrage is doing you more good than harm is the next question to consider.

Powerful Force or Emotional Burnout?

Moral outrage can be utterly overwhelming, but it serves an important purpose in society as a driving force for real change. “A little moral outrage is healthy, as long as you channel your emotions into productive actions,” says Sweet. 

On the other side, moral outrage that has no outlet can quickly lead to burnout, leaving people feeling drained, hopeless or unable to engage with issues that matter to them. If you’re feeling over-exposed to negativity online, or trapped in a scroll-anger-scroll cycle, you might want to take a break.

“Emerging research suggests that chronic exposure to distressing content, especially without opportunities to take action, can lead to emotional numbing or compassion fatigue,” explains Webster. “The amygdala, which is involved in processing emotional responses, can become overstimulated, while the brain’s empathy centers may begin to downregulate as a protective mechanism. People can become desensitized, overwhelmed or emotionally exhausted because their nervous system is constantly on high alert. This is especially true for those who are already highly empathic or trauma-sensitive.”

“It’s pretty easy for people who are prone to moral outrage to feel burned out,” Sweet adds. “A little moral outrage is healthy, as long as you channel your emotions into productive actions. Sitting by your phone or computer all day, getting angry about the state of the world, will only wear your nerves to the bone.”

Quick Tips to Manage Moral Outrage

If you find yourself stuck in this exhausting cycle, try these simple strategies to manage moral outrage and protect your well-being:

Stop and breathe

“If someone feels emotionally flooded by what they see in the world, I’d encourage them to pause and ground themselves before jumping into action,” says Webster. “Acknowledge the feeling, don’t push it down, but then ask, “What’s one small thing I can do with this emotion?””

Be intentional not reactive

Acting in the heat of the moment? You might not be doing your best work. Our experts agree that it’s smarter to wait until the anger has passed before you decide how best to use it. “The goal is to move from reactive emotion to intentional action that aligns with your values and your capacity,” explains Webster. Leaning into the Conscientious sub-trait of self-control and being more considered in your responses makes your efforts for change more effective and sustainable in the long run.

Know when to switch off

Above all, you need to know when it’s time to unplug from all the doom and injustice in the world. If your moral outrage is at an all-time high, you might need to take a break from the news and social media. That’s not to say you should be willfully ignorant. But taking the time to recharge is vital to your mental wellness. 

Takeaway

Learning to care deeply without burning up in a  blaze of outrage is a balancing act. Channeling those intense emotions into meaningful action can be incredibly powerful, but it’s just as important to protect your own well-being in the process. The key is intention: stay aware of how your feelings show up, manage your exposure to them wisely, and choose outlets for that outrage that work for you.