Humans all around the world follow the same seven moral rules no matter where they live, scientists claim.
Results were collated from a survey of 60 different cultures around the globe, published in 'Current Anthropology'.
All the cultures agreed the seven behaviours were 'good' but different societies had varying opinions of how each of these was prioritised.
The rules are: to help your family, help your 'group', return favours, be brave, defer to superiors, divide resources fairly, and respect the property of others.
Evidence was analysed by a team from Oxford’s Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, part of the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography.
Dr Oliver Scott Curry, lead author and senior researcher at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, said: "The debate between moral universalists and moral relativists has raged for centuries, but now we have some answers.
"People everywhere face a similar set of social problems, and use a similar set of moral rules to solve them.
"As predicted, these seven moral rules appear to be universal across cultures."
Mr Curry said that everyone, wherever they may be, has a common moral code.
He says it is universally agreed that people should cooperate and 'promote a common good'.
The research looked into how morality has evolved in order to promote co-operation and mutualism.
We value being in groups because there's 'safety in numbers,' it is believed.
The 7 'moral rules'
- Help your family
- Help your 'group'
- Return favours
- Be brave
- Defer to superiors
- Divide resources fairly
- Respect the property of others.