Pluralism breeds tolerance

Shared norms and tolerance of dissent are cornerstones of democracy, the rule of law, and effective governance. Yet societies often harbor deep normative disagreements, raising a foundational question: how does normative pluralism -- the coexistence of divergent moral standards -- shape the enforcement of norms and the maintenance of social order? We design a new task to measure perceptions of pluralism and show in two pre-registered experiments that perceived normative pluralism softens moral judgment and reduces punishment. When individuals are induced to consider that others may think differently, their condemnation of transgressions is tempered, and they punish less. Thus, pluralism breeds tolerance.