Performative Compassion & Virtue Signalling
What is the psychology and motivations of why performative compassion, performative tolerance, and virtue signalling is so prevalent?
Deep Rooted Motivations
People often want to be seen as compassionate and tolerant for a mix of deep psychological, social, and evolutionary reasons. These traits have become culturally prized signals of moral goodness in many modern societies, especially in Western liberal contexts.
Main Reasons & Psychological Drivers?
Social approval and belonging
Humans are intensely social animals. Appearing compassionate and tolerant makes others like you more, trust you more, and want to include you in groups. In contemporary environments (online especially), displaying these qualities is one of the fastest ways to gain social status, allies, friends, romantic partners, or professional opportunities. The opposite, being seen as callous, bigoted, or intolerant, and it carries heavy social penalties (ostracism, cancellation, loss of reputation).
Virtue signalling and outward appearances
Publicly expressing compassion or tolerance often functions as a signal of virtue. It demonstrates you’re prosocial, emotionally regulated, and morally “safe.” Evolutionary psychologists argue this behaviour evolved because ancestral groups rewarded individuals who appeared cooperative and empathetic (facilitating alliances and resource sharing). Today, it’s amplified by social media, where performative displays of empathy get likes, shares, and validation. Even genuine compassion can get mixed with signalling, because people know it earns approval.
Social desirability bias
In surveys, interviews, and every day self-presentation, people systematically over-report traits society deems desirable (like kindness, openness, fairness) and under-report undesirable ones (prejudice, selfishness). Compassion and tolerance rank very high on the modern “desirable” list in educated, progressive-leaning circles, so people lean into portraying themselves that way. Even when their private feelings are more mixed or indifferent. In Jungian psychology, this is the persona and the shadow.
Self-image and identity
Many people genuinely internalize these values as core to who they want to be (“I’m a good person”). Seeing oneself as compassionate and tolerant reduces cognitive dissonance and boosts self-esteem. Publicly affirming it reinforces that identity. In some cases, it’s partly defensive, emphasizing tolerance (virtue signalling) protects against accusations of the opposite, especially in polarized times.
Evolutionary roots of compassion itself
Genuine compassion likely evolved to promote group survival, caring for the vulnerable, building reciprocity, protecting kin and allies. Tolerance (of out-group differences) became more adaptive in large, diverse societies where constant conflict would be disastrous. Wanting to appear that way piggybacks on those ancient mechanisms, even when the motivation is more about reputation than pure altruism.
The Shift in Values
At some point, there has been a dramatic shift in values and accepted views and behaviours. This shift has been happening for decades. Politically, this shift has been moving from the right, to the left side of the political spectrum.
In relatively safe and successful societies, things move to the left. However, if the shift goes too far to the left, society declines, financially and socially. Then we start to see a natural shift back to the right of the political spectrum. Going too far in either direction will create its own set of problems.
Question to ask yourself?
Are you generally concerned about what is good and moral, or are you more concerned about how you appear to others if you support certain issues? Is it morality and altruism, or is it performative and out of self-interest?
If you answer this question quickly, you are likely just giving the socially acceptable answer by default. It’s the quick answer that makes you feel better about yourself. Our own motivations are often hidden to ourselves. Without deeper thinking and analysis, we may never really know who we are. If we don’t know ourselves, how can we really know anyone else?
Final Comments
In short, the desire is usually a blend of sincere moral feeling and strategic social navigation. The proportion varies by person and context. Some people are mostly authentic, others lean heavily to performative self-interest. But almost everyone feels at least some pressure to project these traits, because the social rewards are high and the costs of the alternative are steep in today’s cultural environment.
