1
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Robertson CE, Shariff A, Van Bavel JJ. Morality in the anthropocene: The perversion of compassion and punishment in the online world. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae193. [PMID: 38864008 PMCID: PMC11165651 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Although much of human morality evolved in an environment of small group living, almost 6 billion people use the internet in the modern era. We argue that the technological transformation has created an entirely new ecosystem that is often mismatched with our evolved adaptations for social living. We discuss how evolved responses to moral transgressions, such as compassion for victims of transgressions and punishment of transgressors, are disrupted by two main features of the online context. First, the scale of the internet exposes us to an unnaturally large quantity of extreme moral content, causing compassion fatigue and increasing public shaming. Second, the physical and psychological distance between moral actors online can lead to ineffective collective action and virtue signaling. We discuss practical implications of these mismatches and suggest directions for future research on morality in the internet era.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Azim Shariff
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Jay J Van Bavel
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Department of Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Department of Strategy & Management, Norwegian School of Economics, Bergen 5045, Norway
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2
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Stibbard-Hawkes DNE, Abarbanell L, Mabulla IA, Endeko ES, Legare CH, Apicella CL. Foreign-language effects in cross-cultural behavioral research: Evidence from the Tanzanian Hadza. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae218. [PMID: 38915735 PMCID: PMC11194998 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral research in traditional subsistence populations is often conducted in a non-native language. Recent studies show that non-native language-use systematically influences behavior, including in widely used methodologies. However, such studies are largely conducted in rich, industrialized societies, using at least one European language. This study expands sample diversity. We presented four standard tasks-a "dictator" game, two sacrificial dilemmas, a wager task, and five Likert-risk tolerance measures-to 129 Hadza participants. We randomly varied study languages-Hadzane and Kiswahili-between participants. We report a moderate impact of study language on wager decisions, alongside a substantial effect on dilemma decisions and responses to Likert-assessments of risk. As expected, non-native languages fostered utilitarian choices in sacrificial dilemmas. Unlike previous studies, non-native-language-use decreased risk preference in wager and Likert-tasks. We consider alternative explanatory mechanisms to account for this reversal, including linguistic relativity and cultural context. Given the strength of the effects reported here, we recommend, where possible, that future cross-cultural research should be conducted in participants' first language.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda Abarbanell
- Department of Psychology, College of Sciences, San Diego State University, Imperial Valley Campus, Calexico, CA 92231-09021, USA
| | | | | | - Cristine H Legare
- Department of Psychology, Center for Applied Cognitive Science, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Coren L Apicella
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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3
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Rehren P. The effect of cognitive load, ego depletion, induction and time restriction on moral judgments about sacrificial dilemmas: a meta-analysis. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1388966. [PMID: 38756483 PMCID: PMC11097977 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1388966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Greene's influential dual-process model of moral cognition (mDPM) proposes that when people engage in Type 2 processing, they tend to make consequentialist moral judgments. One important source of empirical support for this claim comes from studies that ask participants to make moral judgments while experimentally manipulating Type 2 processing. This paper presents a meta-analysis of the published psychological literature on the effect of four standard cognitive-processing manipulations (cognitive load; ego depletion; induction; time restriction) on moral judgments about sacrificial moral dilemmas [n = 44; k = 68; total N = 14, 003; M(N) = 194.5]. The overall pooled effect was in the direction predicted by the mDPM, but did not reach statistical significance. Restricting the dataset to effect sizes from (high-conflict) personal sacrificial dilemmas (a type of sacrificial dilemma that is often argued to be best suited for tests of the mDPM) also did not yield a significant pooled effect. The same was true for a meta-analysis of the subset of studies that allowed for analysis using the process dissociation approach [n = 8; k = 12; total N = 2, 577; M(N) = 214.8]. I argue that these results undermine one important line of evidence for the mDPM and discuss a series of potential objections against this conclusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Rehren
- Ethics Institute, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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4
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Royzman EB, Borislow SH. The puzzle of wrongless injustice: Reflections on Kürthy and Sousa. Cognition 2024; 244:105686. [PMID: 38134629 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The Database of Exemplars (DOE) account of moral cognition emerged in part to explain how wrongless harms could arise (Royzman & Borislow, 2022; henceforth, RB) in spite of being denied by most traditional models (Schein & Gray, 2018; Turiel, 1983; Shweder, 1997; Haidt, 2012). Herein, we defend this account against a set of results that have been claimed to disprove it (Kurthy & Sousa, this issue; henceforth, KS). We argue that DOE is in line with all the findings KS perceive as uniquely supportive of their own account (appraising an act as unjust engenders a judgment of wrong) while RB's findings (Royzman & Borislow, 2022, Studies 2 and 3) do challenge KS under varied conceptions of what it would take for an agent to be or appear unjust in his or her treatment of others, affirming that wrongless injustice is an empirical fact that one must strive to explain and that DOE helps us explain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward B Royzman
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA; Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences Program, University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
| | - Samuel H Borislow
- Marketing Department, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, IL, USA
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5
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Trott S. Can large language models help augment English psycholinguistic datasets? Behav Res Methods 2024:10.3758/s13428-024-02337-z. [PMID: 38261264 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02337-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Research on language and cognition relies extensively on psycholinguistic datasets or "norms". These datasets contain judgments of lexical properties like concreteness and age of acquisition, and can be used to norm experimental stimuli, discover empirical relationships in the lexicon, and stress-test computational models. However, collecting human judgments at scale is both time-consuming and expensive. This issue of scale is compounded for multi-dimensional norms and those incorporating context. The current work asks whether large language models (LLMs) can be leveraged to augment the creation of large, psycholinguistic datasets in English. I use GPT-4 to collect multiple kinds of semantic judgments (e.g., word similarity, contextualized sensorimotor associations, iconicity) for English words and compare these judgments against the human "gold standard". For each dataset, I find that GPT-4's judgments are positively correlated with human judgments, in some cases rivaling or even exceeding the average inter-annotator agreement displayed by humans. I then identify several ways in which LLM-generated norms differ from human-generated norms systematically. I also perform several "substitution analyses", which demonstrate that replacing human-generated norms with LLM-generated norms in a statistical model does not change the sign of parameter estimates (though in select cases, there are significant changes to their magnitude). I conclude by discussing the considerations and limitations associated with LLM-generated norms in general, including concerns of data contamination, the choice of LLM, external validity, construct validity, and data quality. Additionally, all of GPT-4's judgments (over 30,000 in total) are made available online for further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Trott
- Department of Cognitive Science, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093-0515, USA.
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6
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Kitayama S, Salvador CE. Cultural Psychology: Beyond East and West. Annu Rev Psychol 2024; 75:495-526. [PMID: 37585666 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-021723-063333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Research in cultural psychology over the last three decades has revealed the profound influence of culture on cognitive, emotional, and motivational processes shaping individuals into active agents. This article aims to show cultural psychology's promise in three key steps. First, we review four notable cultural dimensions believed to underlie cultural variations: independent versus interdependent self, individualism versus collectivism, tightness versus looseness of social norms, and relational mobility. Second, we examine how ecology and geography shape human activities and give rise to organized systems of cultural practices and meanings, called eco-cultural complexes. In turn, the eco-cultural complex of each zone is instrumental in shaping a wide range of psychological processes, revealing a psychological diversity that extends beyond the scope of the current East-West literature. Finally, we examine some of the non-Western cultural zones present today, including Arab, East Asian, Latin American, and South Asian zones, and discuss how they may have contributed, to varying degrees, to the formation of the contemporary Western cultural zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinobu Kitayama
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA;
| | - Cristina E Salvador
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA;
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Bourdage R, Narme P, Neeskens R, Papma J, Franzen S. An Evaluation of Cross-Cultural Adaptations of Social Cognition Testing: A Systematic Review. Neuropsychol Rev 2023:10.1007/s11065-023-09616-0. [PMID: 37975971 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-023-09616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Social cognition remains one of the most difficult cognitive domains to assess in diverse populations due to a lack of culturally appropriate tools. This study systematically reviewed literature on neuropsychological tests for social cognition that have been translated, adapted, are cross-cultural, or are assembled for diverse, specifically "Global South," populations. The aim was to identify assessments appropriate for diverse populations, outline and evaluate their methodological approaches, and provide procedural recommendations for future research. The PRISMA systematic review search strategy produced 10,957 articles, of which 287 were selected for full-text screening. The study had to include a neuropsychological assessment of social cognition. The full text of the resulting 287 articles was then screened; the study had to include a translated, adapted, cross-cultural test, or an assembled test for Global South populations. Eighty-four articles were included in this study: 24 for emotion recognition, 45 for theory of mind, 9 for moral reasoning, and six for social cognition in general. Overall, there were 31 translations, 27 adaptations, 14 cross-cultural tests, and 12 assembled tests for Global South populations. Regarding quality, 35 were of low quality, 27 were of moderate quality, and 22 were high quality. This study provides an overview of social cognition tests modified or assembled for diverse populations and gives examples of methodological procedures. It highlights the variability in procedure quality and provides possible reasons for this variability. Finally, it suggests a need to report rigorous modification and assembly procedure in order to have modified and assembled social cognition tests appropriate for diverse populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renelle Bourdage
- Laboratoire Mémoire Cerveau et Cognition (UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
| | - Pauline Narme
- Laboratoire Mémoire Cerveau et Cognition (UR 7536), Institut de Psychologie, Université Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Raquel Neeskens
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Janne Papma
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sanne Franzen
- Alzheimer Center & Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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8
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Tokimoto S, Tokimoto N. Time course of effective connectivity associated with perspective taking in utterance comprehension. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1179230. [PMID: 38021233 PMCID: PMC10658713 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1179230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study discusses the effective connectivity in the brain and its time course in realizing perspective taking in verbal communication through electroencephalogram (EEG) associated with the understanding of Japanese utterances. We manipulated perspective taking in a sentence with the Japanese subsidiary verbs -ageru and -kureru, which mean "to give". We measured the EEG during the auditory presentation of the sentences with a multichannel electroencephalograph, and the partial directed coherence and its temporal variations were analyzed using the source localization method to examine causal interactions between nineteen regions of interest in the brain. Three different processing stages were recognized on the basis of the connectivity hubs, direction of information flow, increase or decrease in flow, and temporal variation. We suggest that perspective taking in speech comprehension is realized by interactions between the mentalizing network, mirror neuron network, and executive control network. Furthermore, we found that individual differences in the sociality of typically developing adult speakers were systematically related to effective connectivity. In particular, attention switching was deeply concerned with perspective taking in real time, and the precuneus played a crucial role in implementing individual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Tokimoto
- Department of English Language Studies, Mejiro University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoko Tokimoto
- Department of Performing Arts, Shobi University, Saitama, Japan
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9
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Carron R, Blanc N, Anders R, Brigaud E. The Oxford Utilitarianism Scale: Psychometric properties of a French adaptation (OUS-Fr). Behav Res Methods 2023:10.3758/s13428-023-02250-x. [PMID: 37794207 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02250-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
It is well established that one's sense of morality may be readily influenced by one's culture, education, and life situation. Very few psychometric tools are currently available to measure facets of human morality in different cultures. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to develop a French adaptation of the Oxford Utilitarianism Scale (OUS-Fr) and formally evaluate its validity. The OUS-Fr was developed through a process of back-translation and administered to a sample of 552 participants. Results from exploratory factor analyses revealed a bidimensional structure with satisfactory loadings that was then also supported in the confirmatory factor analysis check. The OUS-Fr scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, with acceptable internal consistency and coherent results in the convergent validity analyses. These findings contribute to morality measurement literature by providing evidence for the reliability and validity of the French adaptation of the OUS. The OUS-Fr can be viewed as a valuable tool for researchers and practitioners for assessing utilitarian tendencies within the French-speaking population, which could pave the way for cross-cultural understandings that are important for fully understanding the intricacies of human morality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Carron
- Department of Psychology, EPSYLON Laboratory UR4556, University Paul Valéry, Montpellier 3, F34000, Montpellier, France
| | - Nathalie Blanc
- Department of Psychology, EPSYLON Laboratory UR4556, University Paul Valéry, Montpellier 3, F34000, Montpellier, France
| | - Royce Anders
- Department of Psychology, EPSYLON Laboratory UR4556, University Paul Valéry, Montpellier 3, F34000, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuelle Brigaud
- Department of Psychology, EPSYLON Laboratory UR4556, University Paul Valéry, Montpellier 3, F34000, Montpellier, France.
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10
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Moon JW. Considering the role of self-interest in moral disciplining. Behav Brain Sci 2023; 46:e310. [PMID: 37789551 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x23000432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Why do people moralize harmless behaviors? Although people rely on cooperative principles in making their moral judgments, I argue that self-interest likely plays a role even in these judgments. I suggest potential lines of research that might examine the role of self-interest in puritanical morality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan W Moon
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Toulouse, France ; www.jordanwmoon.com
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11
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Chu Y, Liu P. Machines and humans in sacrificial moral dilemmas: Required similarly but judged differently? Cognition 2023; 239:105575. [PMID: 37517138 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in understanding human-machine differences in morality. Prior research relying on Trolley-like, moral-impersonal dilemmas suggests that people might apply similar norms to humans and machines but judge their identical decisions differently. We examined people's moral norm imposed on humans and robots (Study 1) and moral judgment of their decisions (Study 2) in Trolley and Footbridge dilemmas. Participants imposed similar, utilitarian norms to them in Trolley but different norms in Footbridge where fewer participants thought humans versus robots should take action in the moral-personal dilemma. Unlike previous research, we witnessed a norm-judgment symmetry that prospective norm aligns with retrospective judgment. The more required decision was judged more moral across agents and dilemmas. We discussed the theoretical implications for machine morality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueying Chu
- Center for Psychological Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310063 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310030 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Center for Psychological Sciences, Zhejiang University, 310063 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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12
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Körner A, Deutsch R. Deontology and Utilitarianism in Real Life: A Set of Moral Dilemmas Based on Historic Events. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2023; 49:1511-1528. [PMID: 35751175 PMCID: PMC10478346 DOI: 10.1177/01461672221103058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Moral dilemmas are frequently used to examine psychological processes that drive decisions between adhering to deontological norms and optimizing the outcome. However, commonly used dilemmas are generally unrealistic and confound moral principle and (in)action so that results obtained with these dilemmas might not generalize to other situations. In the present research, we introduce new dilemmas that are based on real-life events. In two studies (a European student sample and a North American MTurk sample, total N = 789), we show that the new factual dilemmas were perceived to be more realistic and less absurd than commonly used dilemmas. In addition, factual dilemmas induced higher participant engagement. From this, we draw the preliminary conclusion that factual dilemmas are more suitable for investigating moral cognition. Moreover, factual dilemmas can be used to examine the generalizability of previous results concerning action (vs. inaction) and concerning a wider range of deontological norms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Körner
- University of Kassel, Germany
- University of Wuerzburg, Germany
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13
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Rahwan Z, Leuker C. When tainted money should fund public goods: fundraising professional and public moral preferences. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad285. [PMID: 37771343 PMCID: PMC10531110 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Philanthropy is essential to public goods such as education and research, arts and culture, and the provision of services to those in need. Providers of public goods commonly struggle with the dilemma of whether to accept donations from morally tainted donors. Ethicists also disagree on how to manage tainted donations. Forgoing such donations reduces opportunities for societal well-being and advancement; however, accepting them can damage institutional and individual reputations. Half of professional fundraisers have faced tainted donors, but only around a third of their institutions had relevant policies (n = 52). Here, we draw on two large samples of US laypeople (ns = 2,019; 2,566) and a unique sample of experts (professional fundraisers, n = 694) to provide empirical insights into various aspects of tainted donations that affect moral acceptability: the nature of the moral taint (criminal or morally ambiguous behavior), donation size, anonymity, and institution type. We find interesting patterns of convergence (rejecting criminal donations), divergence (professionals' aversion to large tainted donations), and indifference (marginal role of anonymity) across the samples. Laypeople also applied slightly higher standards to universities and museums than to charities. Our results provide evidence of how complex moral trade-offs are resolved differentially, and can thus motivate and inform policy development for institutions dealing with controversial donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Rahwan
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christina Leuker
- Center for Adaptive Rationality, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Anderson RA, Heck IA, Young K, Kinzler KD. Development of beliefs about censorship. Cognition 2023; 238:105500. [PMID: 37348430 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Across four studies (total N = 431), we examined 5- to 10-year-old children's choices to censor depictions of harm. In all studies, children learned about (fictional) movies that depicted harmful behaviors and decided whether specific audiences should be allowed to watch those movies. In Study 1, children often censored depictions of harms and did so similarly when considering both themselves and another hypothetical child as the viewer. At the same time, children did not censor indiscriminately: Children censored depictions of intentional harms more than accidental harms and, in Study 2, children (and adults; N = 101) censored harms (especially intentional ones) more from younger versus older audiences. In Studies 3 and 4, we more directly tested children's motivations for censoring harms, examining dual potential motivations of 1) preventing viewers from feeling sad; and 2) preventing viewers from being inspired to engage in harmful behaviors. We found that children who were motivated to avoid inspiring harmful behaviors were especially likely to censor depictions of harmful intentions. Together, our results indicate that children make sophisticated decisions regarding censorship and underscore an early emerging motivation to disrupt cascades of harmful behavior. These findings hold implications for children's thinking about the psychological and behavioral consequences of harm and for children's thinking about the potential effects of media on themselves and others.
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15
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Kirova A, Tang Y, Conway P. Are people really less moral in their foreign language? Proficiency and comprehension matter for the moral foreign language effect in Russian speakers. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287789. [PMID: 37428758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated that people are more willing to sacrifice one person to save five in a foreign language (FL) than in their native tongue. This may be due to the FL either reducing concerns about sacrificial harm (deontological inclinations) or increasing concerns about overall outcomes (utilitarian inclinations). Moreover, proficiency in a foreign language (FL) may moderate results. To test these possibilities, we investigated the moral foreign language effect (MFLE) in a novel sample of Russian L1/English FL speakers. We employed process dissociation (PD)-a technique that independently assesses concerns about rejecting harm and maximizing outcomes in sacrificial dilemmas, and we assessed measures of objective and subjective foreign language proficiency and of dilemma comprehension. Results replicated the pattern of increased acceptance of sacrificial harm in FL demonstrated in earlier studies, but a PD analysis showed no evidence of increased concerns for utilitarian outcomes in a FL; instead, this pattern was driven by reduced concerns regarding sacrificial harm. However, people who reported better dilemma comprehension in the FL demonstrated both stronger deontological and utilitarian responding, and people with higher objective proficiency displayed stronger utilitarian responding in the FL than those with lower proficiency. These findings show that utilitarian inclinations are affected by reading dilemmas in a foreign language mainly in low-proficiency speakers, and that while emotional concerns for sacrifice are reduced in FL, better comprehension can increase such concerns as well as concern for outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Kirova
- Department of English and World Languages, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Ying Tang
- Department of Psychology, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Paul Conway
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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16
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Kosteletos G, Zioga I, Protopapadakis ED, Panayiotou AG, Kontoangelos K, Papageorgiou C. The Consequentialist Scale: Translation and empirical investigation in a Greek sample. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18386. [PMID: 37539210 PMCID: PMC10393767 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Consequentialist Scale (Robinson, 2012) [89] assesses the endorsement of consequentialist and deontological moral beliefs. This study empirically investigated the application of the Greek translation of the Consequentialist Scale in a sample of native Greek speakers. Specifically, 415 native Greek speakers completed the questionnaire. To uncover the underlying structure of the 10 items in the Consequentialist Scale, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted. The results revealed a three-factor solution, where the deontology factor exhibited the same structure as the original work by Robinson (2012) [89], while the original consequentialism factor split into two separate factors. Significant Pearson's r correlations were observed between age and responses to the Consequentialist Scale. Separate EFAs were conducted for two age groups based on a medial split: younger (36 years old or less) and older (more than 36 years old). Interestingly, the younger group exhibited a two-factor solution with the same structure as the original work, while the older group showed a three-factor solution. A hierarchical k-means cluster analysis revealed that the cluster of participants who scored higher in deontology compared to consequentialism primarily consisted of older participants, whereas the two other clusters comprised of younger participants exhibited the reverse pattern. Neither gender nor previous experience with philosophy significantly affected scores on the Consequentialist Scale. Overall, our study provides evidence that the Consequentialist Scale is suitable for use in the Greek population.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kosteletos
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
- Applied Philosophy Research Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ioanna Zioga
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Evangelos D. Protopapadakis
- Applied Philosophy Research Laboratory, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Open University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Andrie G. Panayiotou
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
| | - Konstantinos Kontoangelos
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
- First Department of Psychiatry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Eginition Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Charalabos Papageorgiou
- University Mental Health, Neurosciences and Precision Medicine Research Institute “COSTAS STEFANIS” (UMHRI), Athens, Greece
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17
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Zahedi L, Larijani B, Javadi M, Aawani S, Jafari SA, Joodaki K, Rashidpouraie R, Saeedi Tehrani S. A dialog on common morality in medical ethics in a pluralist setting in Iran: a qualitative content analysis. J Med Ethics Hist Med 2023; 16:3. [PMID: 37457997 PMCID: PMC10338647 DOI: 10.18502/jmehm.v16i3.12972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The concept of common morality is fundamental in medical ethics, and lack of universal content and characteristics of common morality is a product of its multifaceted nature. This study aimed to identify the ideas and experiences of academic faculties regarding common morality in a pluralistic setting to promote conceptual knowledge and strengthen moral reasoning and ethical decision-making. The study was conducted using a qualitative method, employing semi-structured in-depth interviews with thirteen faculty members who were selected purposively. In order to assess their ideas and experiences, the transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using the content analysis method through directed and conventional approaches. The interviews were coded manually. Two themes were reflected in the interviews: ontology and epistemology of common morality. The study indicates that the debate about the subjective or objective dependence of common morality questions the coherence of Beauchamp and Childress' common morality (CM) theory, as common morality is the result of various individual and social factor that influence moral and decision -making in pluralistic environments. Additional studies are needed in order to investigate the effect of cultural, social, theoretical, ideological and individual factors on promoting clinical ethical reasoning and decision-making skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladannaz Zahedi
- PhD Candidate in Medical Ethics, Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Faculty Member of Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bagher Larijani
- Professor, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohsen Javadi
- Professor, Ethics Department, University of Qom, Qom, Iran.
| | - Shahin Aawani
- Associate Professor, Iranian Research Institute of Philosophy (IRIP), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Seyed Abdosaleh Jafari
- Associate Professor, Medical Ethics and History of Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Kobra Joodaki
- PhD in Medical Ethics, Member of National Association of Iranian Obstetricians and Gynecologists (NAIGO), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Roya Rashidpouraie
- PhD in Medical Ethics, Head of Medical Error Committee, Shahriar Medical Council, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Saeedeh Saeedi Tehrani
- Assistant Professor, Ethics Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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18
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Qian Y, Takimoto Y, Wang L, Yasumura A. Exploring cultural and gender differences in moral judgment: A cross-cultural study based on the CNI model. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37359608 PMCID: PMC10169112 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04662-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Recently, researchers have proposed a polynomial model called the "consequences, norms, generalized inaction" (CNI) model for researching moral judgment. However, it is unclear whether the model can be used to explore cultural differences in moral judgment. In this study, we investigated the applicability of the CNI model of moral judgment to East Asian groups, and subsequently explored cultural and gender differences in moral judgment between East Asian (i.e., Japan, n = 211; China, n = 200) and Western (i.e., USA, n = 201) groups. The CNI model was proposed by Gawronski et al., and it can quantify individuals' sensitivity to moral consequence, sensitivity to moral norms, and their general preference for inaction or action in moral dilemmas. Our results indicate that the CNI model fits well for Japanese and Chinese individuals. Both East Asian women and Western women were significantly more sensitive to moral norms than men in their respective countries. In the international comparison, Westerners were more sensitive to moral norms. The Japanese groups, for both men and women, were most biased towards inaction. Regarding sensitivity towards consequences, no differences were observed in the comparison between Eastern and Western male groups, whereas poor sensitivity was observed among women. By using this new model, this study provides new insights into the differences of cultural and gender in moral judgment. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04662-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yachun Qian
- Graduate School of Social and Cultural Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Takimoto
- Department of Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lu Wang
- Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang, China
| | - Akira Yasumura
- Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Kumamoto University, 2-40-1 Kurokami Chuo-Ku, Kumamoto, 860-8555 Japan
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19
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Krügel S, Ostermaier A, Uhl M. ChatGPT's inconsistent moral advice influences users' judgment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4569. [PMID: 37024502 PMCID: PMC10079665 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31341-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
ChatGPT is not only fun to chat with, but it also searches information, answers questions, and gives advice. With consistent moral advice, it can improve the moral judgment and decisions of users. Unfortunately, ChatGPT's advice is not consistent. Nonetheless, it does influence users' moral judgment, we find in an experiment, even if they know they are advised by a chatting bot, and they underestimate how much they are influenced. Thus, ChatGPT corrupts rather than improves its users' moral judgment. While these findings call for better design of ChatGPT and similar bots, we also propose training to improve users' digital literacy as a remedy. Transparency, however, is not sufficient to enable the responsible use of AI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Krügel
- Faculty of Computer Science, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, Esplanade 10, 85049, Ingolstadt, Germany.
| | - Andreas Ostermaier
- Department of Business and Management, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense, Denmark
| | - Matthias Uhl
- Faculty of Computer Science, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, Esplanade 10, 85049, Ingolstadt, Germany
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20
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Polman E, Stough RA. Homo indifferencus: Effects of unavailable options on preference construction. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Evan Polman
- Wisconsin School of Business University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin 53706 USA
| | - Rusty A. Stough
- Maine Business School University of Maine Orono Maine 04469 USA
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21
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Verification of the Japanese Version of Greene’s Moral Dilemma Task’s Validity and Reliability. PSYCH 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/psych5010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The moral dilemma task developed by Greene et al., which comprises personal and impersonal moral dilemmas, is useful for clarifying people’s moral judgments. This study develops and validates a Japanese version of this questionnaire. Ten new questions were added to the Japanese version using back-translation, and its internal validity was tested. A second survey was conducted among the same participants one month after the first survey (n = 231). The intraclass correlation coefficient through retesting was found to be 0.781. Test-retest, internal consistency, and criterion-related validity were confirmed by retesting the Japanese version of the moral dilemma task. Moral judgments differed in gender, with women and men tending to be more utilitarian in situations where emotions were less and more likely to be involved, respectively. The association between age and deontological moral judgments was also observed.
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22
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Soares A, Piçarra N, Giger JC, Oliveira R, Arriaga P. Ethics 4.0: Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare Mediated by Social Robots. Int J Soc Robot 2023; 15:807-823. [PMID: 37251278 PMCID: PMC9989998 DOI: 10.1007/s12369-023-00983-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
This study examined people's moral judgments and trait perception toward a healthcare agent's response to a patient who refuses to take medication. A sample of 524 participants was randomly assigned to one of eight vignettes in which the type of healthcare agent (human vs. robot), the use of a health message framing (emphasizing health-losses for not taking vs. health-gains in taking the medication), and the ethical decision (respect the autonomy vs. beneficence/nonmaleficence) were manipulated to investigate their effects on moral judgments (acceptance and responsibility) and traits perception (warmth, competence, trustworthiness). The results indicated that moral acceptance was higher when the agents respected the patient's autonomy than when the agents prioritized beneficence/nonmaleficence. Moral responsibility and perceived warmth were higher for the human agent than for the robot, and the agent who respected the patient's autonomy was perceived as warmer, but less competent and trustworthy than the agent who decided for the patient's beneficence/nonmaleficence. Agents who prioritized beneficence/nonmaleficence and framed the health gains were also perceived as more trustworthy. Our findings contribute to the understanding of moral judgments in the healthcare domain mediated by both healthcare humans and artificial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Soares
- ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nuno Piçarra
- ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Raquel Oliveira
- ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Arriaga
- ISCTE-Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, CIS-IUL, Lisboa, Portugal
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23
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Horita Y, Yamazaki M. Generalized Trust Rather than Perception of Relational Mobility Correlates with Nominating Close Friends in a Social Network
1. JAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/jpr.12451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
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24
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Rosas A, Hannikainen I, Lam J, Aguiar F. Individual attitudes towards moral costs and benefits drive responses to moral dilemmas. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Rosas
- Philosophy Department Universidad Nacional de Colombia Bogotá Colombia
| | | | - Jason Lam
- Department of Applied Social Sciences The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong China
| | - Fernando Aguiar
- Instituto de Filosofía Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas Madrid España
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25
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Sznycer D, Sell A, Williams KE. Justice-making institutions and the ancestral logic of conflict. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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26
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Patrick C. Evolution is the source, and the undoing, of natural law. EVOL HUM BEHAV 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2023.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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27
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Takimoto Y, Nabeshima T. Ethical Healthcare Attitudes of Japanese Citizens and Physicians: Patient-Centered or Family-Centered? AJOB Empir Bioeth 2022; 14:125-134. [PMID: 36576142 DOI: 10.1080/23294515.2022.2160511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In current Western medical ethics, patient-centered medicine is considered the norm. However, the cultural background of collectivism in East Asia often leads to family-centered decision-making. In Japan, prior studies have reported that family-centered decision-making is more likely to be preferred in situations of disease notification and end-of-life decision-making. Nonetheless, there has been a recent shift from collectivism to individualism due to changes in the social structure. Various personal factors have also been reported to influence moral decision-making. Therefore, this study examined whether the current trend in attitudes of healthcare decision-making in Japan is family-centered or patient-centered among the general public and physicians. In addition, the personal factors that influence this tendency were examined. METHODS Three vignettes on disease notification and two vignettes on decision-making during end-of-life care were created, and 457 members of the public and 284 physicians were asked about their attitudes (behavioral intentions) regarding these vignettes. RESULTS Approximately, 95% of physicians were patient-centered in explaining the patient's severe medical condition. However, approximately 80% of physicians emphasized the wishes of the family over patient wishes when making life-sustaining decisions. Nearly half the general public emphasized the patient's wishes in the explanation of a severe medical condition and in life-sustaining decisions. In both the public and physician groups, personal factors, particularly the presence or absence of a disease under treatment and prior caregiving experience, influenced ethical attitudes toward medical treatment decisions. CONCLUSIONS In relatively low-conflict situations, such as the announcement of a patient's medical condition, physicians tended to be patient-centered, while they tended to be family-centered in situations of strong conflict in withholding life-sustaining treatment. The fact that personal factors influenced the family-centered response in situations of strong conflict highlights the importance of not only acquiring knowledge of medical ethics but also learning to fairly apply this knowledge in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiyuki Takimoto
- Department of Biomedical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadanori Nabeshima
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Tokyo Bay Urayasu Ichikawa Medical Center, Chiba, Japan
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28
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Breakdown of utilitarian moral judgement after basolateral amygdala damage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2119072119. [PMID: 35878039 PMCID: PMC9351380 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2119072119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Most of us would regard killing another person as morally wrong, but when the death of one saves multiple others, it can be morally permitted. According to a prominent computational dual-systems framework, in these life-and-death dilemmas, deontological (nonsacrificial) moral judgments stem from a model-free algorithm that emphasizes the intrinsic value of the sacrificial action, while utilitarian (sacrificial) moral judgments are derived from a model-based algorithm that emphasizes the outcome of the sacrificial action. Rodent decision-making research suggests that the model-based algorithm depends on the basolateral amygdala (BLA), but these findings have not yet been translated to human moral decision-making. Here, in five humans with selective, bilateral BLA damage, we show a breakdown of utilitarian sacrificial moral judgments, pointing at deficient model-based moral decision-making. Across an established set of moral dilemmas, healthy controls frequently sacrifice one person to save numerous others, but BLA-damaged humans withhold such sacrificial judgments even at the cost of thousands of lives. Our translational research confirms a neurocomputational hypothesis drawn from rodent decision-making research by indicating that the model-based algorithm which underlies outcome-based, utilitarian moral judgements in humans critically depends on the BLA.
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29
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Awad E, Bago B, Bonnefon JF, Christakis NA, Rahwan I, Shariff A. Polarized Citizen Preferences for the Ethical Allocation of Scarce Medical Resources in 20 Countries. MDM Policy Pract 2022; 7:23814683221113573. [PMID: 35911175 PMCID: PMC9326829 DOI: 10.1177/23814683221113573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective. When medical resources are scarce, clinicians must make difficult triage decisions. When these decisions affect public trust and morale, as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts will benefit from knowing which triage metrics have citizen support. Design. We conducted an online survey in 20 countries, comparing support for 5 common metrics (prognosis, age, quality of life, past and future contribution as a health care worker) to a benchmark consisting of support for 2 no-triage mechanisms (first-come-first-served and random allocation). Results. We surveyed nationally representative samples of 1000 citizens in each of Brazil, France, Japan, and the United States and also self-selected samples from 20 countries (total N = 7599) obtained through a citizen science website (the Moral Machine). We computed the support for each metric by comparing its usability to the usability of the 2 no-triage mechanisms. We further analyzed the polarizing nature of each metric by considering its usability among participants who had a preference for no triage. In all countries, preferences were polarized, with the 2 largest groups preferring either no triage or extensive triage using all metrics. Prognosis was the least controversial metric. There was little support for giving priority to healthcare workers. Conclusions. It will be difficult to define triage guidelines that elicit public trust and approval. Given the importance of prognosis in triage protocols, it is reassuring that it is the least controversial metric. Experts will need to prepare strong arguments for other metrics if they wish to preserve public trust and morale during health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmond Awad
- Department of Economics and Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Bence Bago
- Artificial and Natural Intelligence Toulouse Institute and Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Nicholas A. Christakis
- Departments of Medicine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Sociology, Yale University, USA
| | - Iyad Rahwan
- Centre for Humans & Machines, Max-Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Azim Shariff
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
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30
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Smith KM, Apicella CL. Hadza hunter-gatherers are not deontologists and do not prefer deontologists as social partners. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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31
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A Causal Framework for Cross-Cultural Generalizability. ADVANCES IN METHODS AND PRACTICES IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/25152459221106366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral researchers increasingly recognize the need for more diverse samples that capture the breadth of human experience. Current attempts to establish generalizability across populations focus on threats to validity, constraints on generalization, and the accumulation of large, cross-cultural data sets. But for continued progress, we also require a framework that lets us determine which inferences can be drawn and how to make informative cross-cultural comparisons. We describe a generative causal-modeling framework and outline simple graphical criteria to derive analytic strategies and implied generalizations. Using both simulated and real data, we demonstrate how to project and compare estimates across populations and further show how to formally represent measurement equivalence or inequivalence across societies. We conclude with a discussion of how a formal framework for generalizability can assist researchers in designing more informative cross-cultural studies and thus provides a more solid foundation for cumulative and generalizable behavioral research.
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33
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Situational factors shape moral judgements in the trolley dilemma in Eastern, Southern and Western countries in a culturally diverse sample. Nat Hum Behav 2022; 6:880-895. [DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01319-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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34
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Wang J, Fan Y, Palacios J, Chai Y, Guetta-Jeanrenaud N, Obradovich N, Zhou C, Zheng S. Global evidence of expressed sentiment alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nat Hum Behav 2022; 6:349-358. [PMID: 35301467 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-022-01312-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented burdens on people's physical health and subjective well-being. While countries worldwide have developed platforms to track the evolution of COVID-19 infections and deaths, frequent global measurements of affective states to gauge the emotional impacts of pandemic and related policy interventions remain scarce. Using 654 million geotagged social media posts in over 100 countries, covering 74% of world population, coupled with state-of-the-art natural language processing techniques, we develop a global dataset of expressed sentiment indices to track national- and subnational-level affective states on a daily basis. We present two motivating applications using data from the first wave of COVID-19 (from 1 January to 31 May 2020). First, using regression discontinuity design, we provide consistent evidence that COVID-19 outbreaks caused steep declines in expressed sentiment globally, followed by asymmetric, slower recoveries. Second, applying synthetic control methods, we find moderate to no effects of lockdown policies on expressed sentiment, with large heterogeneity across countries. This study shows how social media data, when coupled with machine learning techniques, can provide real-time measurements of affective states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yichun Fan
- Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Juan Palacios
- Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yuchen Chai
- Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicolas Guetta-Jeanrenaud
- Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nick Obradovich
- Center for Humans and Machines, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chenghu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Siqi Zheng
- Center for Real Estate, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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35
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Frechen N, Brouwer S. Wait, did I do that? Effects of previous decisions on moral decision‐making. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Frechen
- Centre for Language Studies Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Susanne Brouwer
- Centre for Language Studies Radboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
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36
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Hashimoto H, Maeda K, Matsumura K. Fickle Judgments in Moral Dilemmas: Time Pressure and Utilitarian Judgments in an Interdependent Culture. Front Psychol 2022; 13:795732. [PMID: 35310271 PMCID: PMC8928142 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.795732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the trolley problem, a well-known moral dilemma, the intuitive process is believed to increase deontological judgments, while deliberative reasoning is thought to promote utilitarian decisions. Therefore, based on the dual-process model, there seems to be an attempt to save several lives at the expense of a few others in a deliberative manner. This study examines the validity of this argument. To this end, we manipulate decision-making time in the standard trolley dilemma to compare differences among 119 Japanese female undergraduates under three conditions: intuitive judgment, deliberative judgment, and judgment after a group discussion. The current results demonstrate that utilitarian judgments decreased from 52.9% in the intuition condition to 43.7% in the deliberation condition and 37.0% after the discussion. Additional analysis suggests that the decrease in utilitarian judgments may be related to psychological unwillingness to assume responsibility for the lives of others rather than to an increase in deontological judgments. Finally, these results are discussed from an adaptationist perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Hashimoto
- Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Hirofumi Hashimoto,
| | - Kaede Maeda
- Urban-Culture Research Center, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate School of Letters, Yasuda Women’s University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kaede Matsumura
- Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
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Guerouaou N, Vaiva G, Aucouturier JJ. The shallow of your smile: the ethics of expressive vocal deep-fakes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210083. [PMID: 34775820 PMCID: PMC8591385 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid technological advances in artificial intelligence are creating opportunities for real-time algorithmic modulations of a person's facial and vocal expressions, or 'deep-fakes'. These developments raise unprecedented societal and ethical questions which, despite much recent public awareness, are still poorly understood from the point of view of moral psychology. We report here on an experimental ethics study conducted on a sample of N = 303 participants (predominantly young, western and educated), who evaluated the acceptability of vignettes describing potential applications of expressive voice transformation technology. We found that vocal deep-fakes were generally well accepted in the population, notably in a therapeutic context and for emotions judged otherwise difficult to control, and surprisingly, even if the user lies to their interlocutors about using them. Unlike other emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles, there was no evidence of social dilemma in which one would, for example, accept for others what they resent for themselves. The only real obstacle to the massive deployment of vocal deep-fakes appears to be situations where they are applied to a speaker without their knowing, but even the acceptability of such situations was modulated by individual differences in moral values and attitude towards science fiction. This article is part of the theme issue 'Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Guerouaou
- Science and Technology of Music and Sound, IRCAM/CNRS/Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Center (LiNC), Team PSY, INSERM U-1172/CHRU Lille, France
| | - Guillaume Vaiva
- Lille Neuroscience and Cognition Center (LiNC), Team PSY, INSERM U-1172/CHRU Lille, France
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Otsuka S, Ueda Y, Saiki J. Diversity in Psychological Research Activities: Quantitative Approach With Topic Modeling. Front Psychol 2021; 12:773916. [PMID: 34975665 PMCID: PMC8716499 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.773916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent cultural studies have discussed universality and diversity in human behavior using numerous samples investigated worldwide. We aimed to quantitatively extend this discussion to various research activities in psychology in terms of geographic regions and time trends. Most psychology departments have specialists in various fields of psychology. Further, research institutions in all regions typically aim to provide systematic and balanced research education. Nevertheless, most researchers recognize universal features and patterns of diversity in research activities in psychology in terms of regional differences and time trends. However, these arguments remain intuitive and vague, and no studies have conducted quantitative analyses. To this end, we conducted topic modeling for the abstracts of psychological articles with the regions of author affiliations and publication periods as covariates. The results showed that the topic proportions related to basic research were high in North-Central America, whereas those related to clinical research were high in Europe. Interestingly, the regional differences shown by topic modeling were not observed in the frequency analysis of keywords, indicating that topic modeling revealed implicit characteristics. Moreover, we observed an increasing trend of neuroscience topics across publication periods. However, this trend was not valid for the psychology journal Psychological Science. Taken together, our results suggest diversity of geographic regions and periods in research activities in psychology. More importantly, our findings indicate that universality holds neither for human behavior nor research activities on human mental processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachio Otsuka
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Jun Saiki
- Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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Bacchini D, De Angelis G, Dragone M, Esposito C, Affuso G. Individual and Environmental Correlates of Adolescents' Moral Decision-Making in Moral Dilemmas. Front Psychol 2021; 12:770891. [PMID: 34899521 PMCID: PMC8651977 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.770891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While extensive research has been conducted on adults' judgments in moral sacrificial dilemmas, there is little research on adolescents. The present study aimed at: (1) adding further empirical evidence about adolescents' moral decisions (deontological vs. utilitarian) in sacrificial moral dilemmas and (2) investigating how these moral decisions relate with gender, school grade, emotional traits (callous-unemotional traits), context-related experiences (perceived parental rejection and community violence exposure), and moral-related factors (moral disengagement and universalism value). A sample of 755 Italian adolescents (54.7% females; Mean age=16.45, SD=1.61) attending the second and the fifth year of secondary school took part in the study. Two sacrificial trolley-type dilemmas (where harmful actions promote the greater good) were presented. In the "switch" scenario (impersonal sacrificial dilemma), the choice is whether to hit a switch to save five people killing only one person. In the "footbridge" scenario (personal sacrificial dilemma), the choice is whether to push a large man off a footbridge saving five persons. For each scenario, participants had to indicate whether the proposed action was "morally acceptable" or not. Data were analyzed performing generalized linear mixed models. Our results showed that: (1) Adolescents were more likely to indicate as admissible to hit the switch rather than to push the large man; (2) male adolescents, compared to females, were more likely to say it was morally acceptable to intervene in the footbridge dilemma, whereas younger adolescents said it was morally acceptable both in the switch and the footbridge situations; and (3) higher levels of callous-unemotional traits, perceived parental rejection, and moral disengagement, on the one hand, and lower levels of universalism, on the other hand, were associated to higher admissibility to intervene in the footbridge scenario. Higher community violence exposure was associated with a lower propensity to intervene in the switch scenario. Overall, the present study expands the research on sacrificial dilemmas involving a sample of adolescents. The findings support previous studies concerning the role of emotions in making moral decisions but, at the same, open new perspectives regarding the role of contextual experiences and moral-related factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Bacchini
- Department of Humanities, University of Study of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Grazia De Angelis
- Department of Humanities, University of Study of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Mirella Dragone
- Department of Humanities, University of Study of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Esposito
- Department of Humanities, University of Study of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Gaetana Affuso
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Caserta, Italy
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Kneer M, Hannikainen IR. Trolleys, triage and Covid-19: the role of psychological realism in sacrificial dilemmas. Cogn Emot 2021; 36:137-153. [PMID: 34392813 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.1964940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, frontline medical professionals at intensive care units around the world faced gruesome decisions about how to ration life-saving medical resources. These events provided a unique lens through which to understand how the public reasons about real-world dilemmas involving trade-offs between human lives. In three studies (total N = 2298), we examined people's moral attitudes toward the triage of acute coronavirus patients, and found elevated support for utilitarian triage policies. These utilitarian tendencies did not stem from period change in moral attitudes relative to pre-pandemic levels-but rather, from the heightened realism of triage dilemmas. Participants favoured utilitarian resolutions of critical care dilemmas when compared to structurally analogous, non-medical dilemmas-and such support was rooted in prosocial dispositions, including empathy and impartial beneficence. Finally, despite abundant evidence of political polarisation surrounding Covid-19, moral views about critical care triage differed modestly, if at all, between liberals and conservatives. Taken together, our findings highlight people's robust support for utilitarian measures in the face of a global public health threat, and illustrate how the dominant methods in moral psychology (e.g. trolley cases) may deliver insights that do not generalise to real-world moral dilemmas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Kneer
- Department of Philosophy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ivar R Hannikainen
- Department of Philosophy I, Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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COVID-19. Effect of Moral Messages to Persuade the Population to Stay at Home in Spain, Chile, and Colombia. SPANISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 24:e42. [PMID: 34384509 DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2021.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Analyze whether the content of three moral messages (deontological, ethical utilitarianism, ethical virtue) and a control message differentially affect the probability of engaging in four behaviors: Washing their hands, participating in public gatherings, staying at home/avoiding social contact, and forwarding the message to inform more people. In our study, the sender of the message is a university professor. These variables are measured in terms of their behavioral intentions and others' behavioral intentions (beliefs about others' behavior). Randomized Controlled Trial. Our study includes the analysis of the possible moderating effect of the country of residence (Spain n = 1,122, Chile n = 1,107, and Colombia n = 1,433). The message with content referring to ethical virtue and staying at home obtains statistically significant lower scores on the probability of carrying out public health behaviors and sharing the message received. Regarding beliefs about the behavior of others, the message of ethical virtue has the same negative effect, but only on the likelihood of other people washing their hands, staying at home, and sharing the public health message. Institutional messages aimed at promoting public health behaviors are necessary in a pandemic situation. Our recommendation is to use deontological and utilitarian, or non-moral, content.
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Hannikainen IR, Tobia KP, de Almeida GDFCF, Donelson R, Dranseika V, Kneer M, Strohmaier N, Bystranowski P, Dolinina K, Janik B, Keo S, Lauraitytė E, Liefgreen A, Próchnicki M, Rosas A, Struchiner N. Are There Cross-Cultural Legal Principles? Modal Reasoning Uncovers Procedural Constraints on Law. Cogn Sci 2021; 45:e13024. [PMID: 34379347 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Despite pervasive variation in the content of laws, legal theorists and anthropologists have argued that laws share certain abstract features and even speculated that law may be a human universal. In the present report, we evaluate this thesis through an experiment administered in 11 different countries. Are there cross-cultural principles of law? In a between-subjects design, participants (N = 3,054) were asked whether there could be laws that violate certain procedural principles (e.g., laws applied retrospectively or unintelligible laws), and also whether there are any such laws. Confirming our preregistered prediction, people reported that such laws cannot exist, but also (paradoxically) that there are such laws. These results document cross-culturally and -linguistically robust beliefs about the concept of law which defy people's grasp of how legal systems function in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sothie Keo
- American University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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Bostyn DH, Roets A, Conway P. Sensitivity to Moral Principles Predicts Both Deontological and Utilitarian Response Tendencies in Sacrificial Dilemmas. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/19485506211027031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
When facing sacrificial dilemmas in which harm maximizes outcomes, people appear sensitive to three moral principles: They are more averse to actively causing harm than passively allowing it ( action principle), causing harm directly than indirectly ( contact principle), and causing harm as a means than as a by-product of helping others ( intention principle). Across five studies and a meta-analysis ( N = 1,218), we examined whether individual differences in people’s sensitivity to these principles were related to participants’ moral preferences on sacrificial dilemmas. Interestingly, sensitivity to each of these principles was related to both elevated harm-rejection (i.e., deontological) as well as elevated outcome-maximization (i.e., utilitarian) response tendencies. Rather than increasing responses consistent with only one philosophical position, people sensitive to moral principles balanced moral concerns about causing harm and maximizing outcomes similar to people high in other measures of moral concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dries H. Bostyn
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - A. Roets
- Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - P. Conway
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Everett JAC, Colombatto C, Awad E, Boggio P, Bos B, Brady WJ, Chawla M, Chituc V, Chung D, Drupp MA, Goel S, Grosskopf B, Hjorth F, Ji A, Kealoha C, Kim JS, Lin Y, Ma Y, Maréchal MA, Mancinelli F, Mathys C, Olsen AL, Pearce G, Prosser AMB, Reggev N, Sabin N, Senn J, Shin YS, Sinnott-Armstrong W, Sjåstad H, Strick M, Sul S, Tummers L, Turner M, Yu H, Zoh Y, Crockett MJ. Moral dilemmas and trust in leaders during a global health crisis. Nat Hum Behav 2021; 5:1074-1088. [PMID: 34211151 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Trust in leaders is central to citizen compliance with public policies. One potential determinant of trust is how leaders resolve conflicts between utilitarian and non-utilitarian ethical principles in moral dilemmas. Past research suggests that utilitarian responses to dilemmas can both erode and enhance trust in leaders: sacrificing some people to save many others ('instrumental harm') reduces trust, while maximizing the welfare of everyone equally ('impartial beneficence') may increase trust. In a multi-site experiment spanning 22 countries on six continents, participants (N = 23,929) completed self-report (N = 17,591) and behavioural (N = 12,638) measures of trust in leaders who endorsed utilitarian or non-utilitarian principles in dilemmas concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Across both the self-report and behavioural measures, endorsement of instrumental harm decreased trust, while endorsement of impartial beneficence increased trust. These results show how support for different ethical principles can impact trust in leaders, and inform effective public communication during times of global crisis. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION STATEMENT: The Stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 13 November 2020. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13247315.v1 .
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Edmond Awad
- Department of Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Paulo Boggio
- Social and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Björn Bos
- Department of Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - William J Brady
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Megha Chawla
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Vladimir Chituc
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dongil Chung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, South Korea
| | - Moritz A Drupp
- Department of Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Srishti Goel
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brit Grosskopf
- Department of Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Frederik Hjorth
- Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alissa Ji
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Caleb Kealoha
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Judy S Kim
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yangfei Lin
- Department of Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Yina Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | | | | | - Christoph Mathys
- Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.,Interacting Minds Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Translational Neuromodeling Unit (TNU), Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Asmus L Olsen
- Department of Political Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Graeme Pearce
- Department of Economics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Niv Reggev
- Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Nicholas Sabin
- Department of Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julien Senn
- Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yeon Soon Shin
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Hallgeir Sjåstad
- Department of Strategy and Management, Norwegian School of Economics, Bergen, Norway
| | - Madelijn Strick
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sunhae Sul
- Department of Psychology, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Lars Tummers
- School of Governance, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Monique Turner
- Department of Communication, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Hongbo Yu
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Yoonseo Zoh
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Small-scale utilitarianism: High acceptance of utilitarian solutions to Trolley Problems among a horticultural population in Nicaragua. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249345. [PMID: 33819284 PMCID: PMC8021155 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers often use moral dilemmas to investigate the specific factors that influence participants’ judgments of the appropriateness of different actions. A common construction of such a dilemma is the Trolley Problem, which pits an obvious utilitarian solution against a common deontological dictum to not do harm to others. Cross-cultural studies have validated the robustness of numerous contextual biases, such as judging utilitarian decisions more negatively if they require contact with other individuals (contact bias), they force others to serve as a means to an end (means bias), and if they require direct action rather than inaction (omission bias). However, such cross-cultural research is largely limited to studies of industrialized, nation-state populations. Previous research has suggested that the more intimate community relationships that characterize small-scale populations might lead to important differences, such as an absence of an omission bias. Here we contribute to this literature by investigating perceptions of Trolley Problem solutions among a Mayangna/Miskito community, a small-scale indigenous population in Nicaragua. Compared to previously sampled populations, the Mayangna/Miskito participants report higher levels of acceptance of utilitarian solutions and do not exhibit an omission bias. We also examine the justifications participants offered to explore how Mayangna/Miskito culture might influence moral judgments.
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47
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Sznycer D, Cohen AS. Are Emotions Natural Kinds After All? Rethinking the Issue of Response Coherence. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2021; 19:14747049211016009. [PMID: 34060370 PMCID: PMC10355299 DOI: 10.1177/14747049211016009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The synchronized co-activation of multiple responses-motivational, behavioral, and physiological-has been taken as a defining feature of emotion. Such response coherence has been observed inconsistently however, and this has led some to view emotion programs as lacking biological reality. Yet, response coherence is not always expected or desirable if an emotion program is to carry out its adaptive function. Rather, the hallmark of emotion is the capacity to orchestrate multiple mechanisms adaptively-responses will co-activate in stereotypical fashion or not depending on how the emotion orchestrator interacts with the situation. Nevertheless, might responses cohere in the general case where input variables are specified minimally? Here we focus on shame as a case study. We measure participants' responses regarding each of 27 socially devalued actions and personal characteristics. We observe internal and external coherence: The intensities of felt shame and of various motivations of shame (hiding, lying, destroying evidence, and threatening witnesses) vary in proportion (i) to one another, and (ii) to the degree to which audiences devalue the disgraced individual-the threat shame defends against. These responses cohere both within and between the United States and India. Further, alternative explanations involving the low-level variable of arousal do not seem to account for these results, suggesting that coherence is imparted by a shame system. These findings indicate that coherence can be observed at multiple levels and raise the possibility that emotion programs orchestrate responses, even in those situations where coherence is low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sznycer
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, QC, Canada
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48
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Broockman D, Kalla J, Guerrero A, Budolfson M, Eyal N, Jewell NP, Magalhaes M, Sekhon JS. Broad cross-national public support for accelerated COVID-19 vaccine trial designs. Vaccine 2021; 39:309-316. [PMID: 33334616 PMCID: PMC7831807 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.11.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A vaccine for COVID-19 is urgently needed. Several vaccine trial designs may significantly accelerate vaccine testing and approval, but also increase risks to human subjects. Concerns about whether the public would see such designs as ethical represent an important roadblock to their implementation; accordingly, both the World Health Organization and numerous scholars have called for consulting the public regarding them. We answered these calls by conducting a cross-national survey (n = 5920) in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The survey explained key differences between traditional vaccine trials and two accelerated designs: a challenge trial or a trial integrating a Phase II safety and immunogenicity trial into a larger Phase III efficacy trial. Respondents' answers to comprehension questions indicate that they largely understood the key differences and ethical trade-offs between the designs from our descriptions. We asked respondents whether they would prefer scientists to conduct traditional trials or one of these two accelerated designs. We found broad majorities prefer for scientists to conduct challenge trials (75%) and integrated trials (63%) over standard trials. Even as respondents acknowledged the risks, they perceived both accelerated trials as similarly ethical to standard trial designs. This high support is consistent across every geography and demographic subgroup we examined, including vulnerable populations. These findings may help assuage some of the concerns surrounding accelerated designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Broockman
- Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Joshua Kalla
- Department of Political Science and Department of Statistics & Data Science, Yale University, United States.
| | | | - Mark Budolfson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Justice, Rutgers University, United States
| | - Nir Eyal
- Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy and Center for Population-Level Bioethics, Rutgers University, United States
| | - Nicholas P Jewell
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Division of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, United States
| | - Monica Magalhaes
- Center for Population-Level Bioethics, Rutgers University, United States
| | - Jasjeet S Sekhon
- Department of Statistics & Data Science and Department of Political Science, Yale University, United States
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49
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UEDA Y, OTSUKA S, SAIKI J. A THREE-LEVEL APPROACH TO UNDERSTAND CULTURAL VARIABILITY AND THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN ATTENTION. PSYCHOLOGIA 2021. [DOI: 10.2117/psysoc.2021-b015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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50
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The influence of culture on wise reasoning in the context of self-friend conflict and its mechanism. ACTA PSYCHOLOGICA SINICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1041.2021.01244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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