# How do Role Models Shape Collective Morality? Exemplar-Driven Moral Learning in Multi-Agent Simulation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.13876 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.13876/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Social simulation and multi-agent debate, one of 16 directions in LLM agents and tool use.
- Builds on 4 of its 27 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 14 Mar 2026.

## Placed in

- LLM agents and tool use / [Social simulation and multi-agent debate](https://mlsanity.com/agents/social-simulation-and-multi-agent-debate/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Generative Agents: Interactive Simulacra of Human Behavior](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.03442/) (2023)
- [Emergence of Social Norms in Generative Agent Societies: Principles and Architecture](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.08251/) (2024)
- [Towards Socially and Morally Aware RL agent: Reward Design With LLM](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.12459/) (2024)
- [Why Are We Moral? An LLM-based Agent Simulation Approach to Study Moral Evolution](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.17703/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Do We Need Role Models? How do Role Models Shape Collective Morality? To explore the questions, we build a multi-agent simulation powered by a Large Language Model, where agents with diverse intrinsic drives, ranging from cooperative to competitive, interact and adapt through a four-stage cognitive loop (plan-act-observe-reflect). We design four experimental games (Alignment, Collapse, Conflict, and Construction) and conduct motivational ablation studies to identify the key drivers of imitation. The results indicate that identity-driven conformity can powerfully override initial dispositions. Agents consistently adapt their values to align with a perceived successful exemplar, leading to rapid value convergence.