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Pilcher JJ, Smith PD. Social context during moral decision-making impacts males more than females. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1397069. [PMID: 38836238 PMCID: PMC11148431 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1397069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Moral judgments are often viewed as the outcome of affective and deliberative processes that could be impacted by social factors and individual characteristics. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction between gender and social context on moral judgment. Participants included 315 undergraduate students (67.3% female). The participants completed the Moral Decision-Making Task while seated at row tables facing the front of the room or round tables facing other participants. The results indicated that males responded in a more utilitarian manner (harm one to save five) than females for moral impersonal (MI) and moral personal (MP) dilemmas regardless of seating arrangements. When seated at round tables, all participants were more likely to respond deontologically (cause no harm) to the moral impersonal dilemmas. In addition, we calculated a moral reasoning difference score for each participant as the difference between the MI and MP scores to represent additional reactivity due to the idea of taking direct action. The moral reasoning difference score was consistent for females but indicated a more deontological response from males at round tables and a more utilitarian response from males at row tables. These results suggest that males are more utilitarian than females and are more likely to be influenced by social context when responding to moral dilemmas. More broadly, the current results indicate that moral judgments are affected by social context particularly in males in ways that have not been incorporated in many models of moral decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- June J Pilcher
- Department of Psychology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
| | - Phillip D Smith
- Department of Psychology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
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2
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Zheng X, Wang J, Yang X, Xu L, Becker B, Sahakian BJ, Robbins TW, Kendrick KM. Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, decreases willingness to harm others by promoting moral emotions of guilt and shame. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02590-w. [PMID: 38769372 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02590-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Prosocial and moral behaviors have overlapping neural systems and can both be affected in a number of psychiatric disorders, although whether they involve similar neurochemical systems is unclear. In the current registered randomized placebo-controlled trial on 180 adult male and female subjects, we investigated the effects of intranasal administration of oxytocin and vasopressin, which play key roles in influencing social behavior, on moral emotion ratings for situations involving harming others and on judgments of moral dilemmas where others are harmed for a greater good. Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, enhanced feelings of guilt and shame for intentional but not accidental harm and reduced endorsement of intentionally harming others to achieve a greater good. Neither peptide influenced arousal ratings for the scenarios. Effects of oxytocin on guilt and shame were strongest in individuals scoring lower on the personal distress subscale of trait empathy. Overall, findings demonstrate for the first time that oxytocin, but not vasopressin, promotes enhanced feelings of guilt and shame and unwillingness to harm others irrespective of the consequences. This may reflect associations between oxytocin and empathy and vasopressin with aggression and suggests that oxytocin may have greater therapeutic potential for disorders with atypical social and moral behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zheng
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiayuan Wang
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xi Yang
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Xu
- Department of Psychology, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Barbara J Sahakian
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Hills Rd., Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St., Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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3
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Phelps AJ, Adler AB, Belanger SAH, Bennett C, Cramm H, Dell L, Fikretoglu D, Forbes D, Heber A, Hosseiny F, Morganstein JC, Murphy D, Nazarov A, Pedlar D, Richardson JD, Sadler N, Williamson V, Greenberg N, Jetly R. Addressing moral injury in the military. BMJ Mil Health 2024; 170:51-55. [PMID: 35705259 DOI: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2022-002128] [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: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Moral injury is a relatively new, but increasingly studied, construct in the field of mental health, particularly in relation to current and ex-serving military personnel. Moral injury refers to the enduring psychosocial, spiritual or ethical harms that can result from exposure to high-stakes events that strongly clash with one's moral beliefs. There is a pressing need for further research to advance understanding of the nature of moral injury; its relationship to mental disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and depression; triggering events and underpinning mechanisms; and prevalence, prevention and treatment. In the meantime, military leaders have an immediate need for guidance on how moral injury should be addressed and, where possible, prevented. Such guidance should be theoretically sound, evidence-informed and ethically responsible. Further, the implementation of any practice change based on the guidance should contribute to the advancement of science through robust evaluation. This paper draws together current research on moral injury, best-practice approaches in the adjacent field of psychological resilience, and principles of effective implementation and evaluation. This research is combined with the military and veteran mental health expertise of the authors to provide guidance on the design, implementation and evaluation of moral injury interventions in the military. The paper discusses relevant training in military ethical practice, as well as the key roles leaders have in creating cohesive teams and having frank discussions about the moral and ethical challenges that military personnel face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea J Phelps
- Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - A B Adler
- Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - S A H Belanger
- Royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - C Bennett
- New Zealand Defence Force, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - H Cramm
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - L Dell
- Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - D Fikretoglu
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Toronto Research Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - D Forbes
- Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - A Heber
- Veterans Affairs Canada, Charottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - F Hosseiny
- Canadian Centre of Excellence on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - J C Morganstein
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - D Murphy
- Combat Stress, Leatherhead, UK
- King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A Nazarov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- MacDonald Franklin Operational Stress Injury Research Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - D Pedlar
- Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - J D Richardson
- MacDonald Franklin Operational Stress Injury Research Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - N Sadler
- Phoenix Australia Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - V Williamson
- Institute of Psychiatry Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - N Greenberg
- King's Centre for Military Health Research, King's College London, London, UK
| | - R Jetly
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Kyriakou A, Mavrou I. What language does your heart speak? The influence of foreign language on moral judgements and emotions related to unrealistic and realistic moral dilemmas. Cogn Emot 2023:1-19. [PMID: 37715522 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2023.2258577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Emotional attenuation in a second language is believed to be one of the main causes of the Moral Foreign Language effect (MFLe). However, evidence on the mediating role of emotion in the relationship between language and moral judgements is limited and mainly derives from unrealistic moral dilemmas. We conducted two studies to investigate (1) whether the MFLe is present in both unrealistic (Study 1) and realistic (Study 2) moral dilemmas, and (2) whether this effect can be attributed to reduced emotionality. In Study 1, the MFLe was found in the moral judgements made by Spanish-English bilinguals. However, the same pattern was not observed in Greek Cypriot-English bilinguals' moral judgements, and this result was attributed to the prominent role of English in Cyprus. In Study 2, the MFLe extended to realistic moral dilemmas when the outcome of the action entailed the violation of a social norm. Study 1 and Study 2 also revealed that these bilinguals experienced a wide range of emotions in their L1 and L2, which did not differ significantly across languages. Mediation analyses further indicated that the MFLe was not mediated by emotional blunting, which made us consider alternative explanations for the MFLe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Kyriakou
- Departamento de Lenguas Aplicadas, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irini Mavrou
- Departamento de Lenguas Aplicadas, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Antonio de Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Culture, Communication and Media, IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, University College London, UK
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5
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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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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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7
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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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8
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Kraaijeveld SR, Jamrozik E. Moralization and Mismoralization in Public Health. MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE, AND PHILOSOPHY 2022; 25:655-669. [PMID: 36045179 PMCID: PMC9432796 DOI: 10.1007/s11019-022-10103-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Moralization is a social-psychological process through which morally neutral issues take on moral significance. Often linked to health and disease, moralization may sometimes lead to good outcomes; yet moralization is often detrimental to individuals and to society as a whole. It is therefore important to be able to identify when moralization is inappropriate. In this paper, we offer a systematic normative approach to the evaluation of moralization. We introduce and develop the concept of 'mismoralization', which is when moralization is metaethically unjustified. In order to identify mismoralization, we argue that one must engage in metaethical analysis of moralization processes while paying close attention to the relevant facts. We briefly discuss one historical example (tuberculosis) and two contemporary cases related to COVID-19 (infection and vaccination status) that we contend to have been mismoralized in public health. We propose a remedy of de-moralization that begins by identifying mismoralization and that proceeds by neutralizing inapt moral content. De-moralization calls for epistemic and moral humility. It should lead us to pull away from our tendency to moralize-as individuals and as social groups-whenever and wherever moralization is unjustified.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Euzebiusz Jamrozik
- Oxford-Johns Hopkins Global Infectious Disease Ethics Collaborative, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, United States
- Ethox and Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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9
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Richesin MT, Baldwin DR, Wicks LAM. The Role of Contextual Information in a Virtual Trolly Problem: A Psychophysiological Investigation. Soc Neurosci 2022; 17:246-257. [PMID: 35536699 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2022.2076733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Trolley problems have persisted as a popular method to examine moral decision-making in the face of many criticisms. One such criticism is that thought experiments provide unrealistically abundant contextual information, leading to mental simulation. Recent work utilizing virtual reality technology has reduced contextual information with mixed results. However, this work has not departed entirely from the thought experiment tradition, often providing written or verbal descriptions of the trolley problem before or during the simulation. This approach may still allow for mental simulation prior to decision-making. The goal of the current study is to examine whether or not this criticism is relevant for the classic version of the trolley problem. One hundred and nineteen participants were randomly assigned to either receive prior contextual information about the trolley problem or receive no information. All participants then entered a virtual reality simulation of the classic trolley problem. We examined decision-making from an affective and autonomic nervous system perspective. We found no effect on any measure in response to the reduction of contextual information. There were, however, surprising gender differences in decision-making and autonomic response. Further, we discuss how these findings relate to competing dual-process models of moral decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Richesin
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, 1404 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37916, USA
| | - Debora R Baldwin
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, 1404 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37916, USA
| | - Lahai A M Wicks
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, 1404 Circle Dr, Knoxville, Tennessee, 37916, USA
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10
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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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11
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Huang S, Faul L, Sevinc G, Mwilambwe-Tshilobo L, Setton R, Lockrow AW, Ebner NC, Turner GR, Spreng RN, De Brigard F. Age differences in intuitive moral decision-making: Associations with inter-network neural connectivity. Psychol Aging 2021; 36:902-916. [PMID: 34472915 PMCID: PMC9170131 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Positions of power involving moral decision-making are often held by older adults (OAs). However, little is known about age differences in moral decision-making and the intrinsic organization of the aging brain. In this study, younger adults (YAs; n = 117, Mage = 22.11) and OAs (n = 82, Mage = 67.54) made decisions in hypothetical moral dilemmas and completed resting-state multi-echo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans. Relative to YAs, OAs were more likely to endorse deontological decisions (i.e., decisions based on adherence to a moral principle or duty), but only when the choice was immediately compelling or intuitive. By contrast, there was no difference between YAs and OAs in utilitarian decisions (i.e., decisions aimed at maximizing collective well-being) when the utilitarian choice was intuitive. Enhanced connections between the posterior medial core of the default network (pmDN) and the dorsal attention network, and overall reduced segregation of pmDN from the rest of the brain, were associated with this increased deontological-intuitive moral decision-making style in OAs. The present study contributes to our understanding of age differences in decision-making styles by taking into account the intuitiveness of the moral choice, and it offers further insights as to how age differences in intrinsic brain connectivity relate to these distinct moral decision-making styles in YAs and OAs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenyang Huang
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Leonard Faul
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gunes Sevinc
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, USA
| | | | - Roni Setton
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Amber W. Lockrow
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Natalie C. Ebner
- Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Gary R. Turner
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - R. Nathan Spreng
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Felipe De Brigard
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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12
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Borhany H, Golbabaei S, Jameie M, Borhani K. Moral Decision-Making in Healthcare and Medical Professions During the COVID-19 Pandemic. TRENDS IN PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [PMCID: PMC8598100 DOI: 10.1007/s43076-021-00118-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, healthcare and medical professions face challenging situations. The high number of COVID-19 infected patients, scarce resources, and being vulnerable to the infection are among the reasons that may influence clinicians’ moral decision-making. Furthermore, healthcare workers may be carriers of coronavirus, resulting in their social interactions to involve moral decision-making. This study aimed to investigate the effect of working in the frontline on psychological and cognitive factors and how these factors influence moral decision-making in clinicians during the pandemic. Further, we evaluated the impact of these factors on compliance with social distancing. Clinicians who worked in hospitals allocated to coronavirus disease patients participated in our study. We designed an online survey containing eight dilemmas to test moral decision-making in clinicians. Information on clinicians’ behavior and psychological state during the COVID-19 pandemic including the degree of respect to social distancing, sources of stress, and dead cases of COVID-19 they confronted with were collected. First, the relation between these measures and moral decision-making was assessed. Next, we used multiple regression analysis to evaluate the degree to which these factors can predict variances in morality. Based on our results, clinicians’ most important source of stress was the infection of their families. Stress, estimated chance of self-infection, job satisfaction, and age predicted utilitarian behavior among them. Moreover, age, number of death cases of COVID-19 they confronted, perceived risk of infection, and stress were positively correlated to compliance with social distancing. Our results have critical implications in implementing policies for healthcare principals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Borhany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Soroosh Golbabaei
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mana Jameie
- Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Khatereh Borhani
- Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
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Maftei A, Holman AC, Gancevici O. Utilitarian choices in COVID-19 dilemmas depend on whether or not a foreign language is used and type of dilemma. ETHICS & BEHAVIOR 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2021.1934684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Maftei
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi
| | - Andrei-Corneliu Holman
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi
| | - Olga Gancevici
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi
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Acceptable Behavior or Workplace Bullying?—How Perpetrator Gender and Hierarchical Status Affect Third Parties’ Attributions and Moral Judgments of Negative Behaviors. SOCIETIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/soc11020062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Workplace bullying consists of repeated, long-term exposure to a variety of negative behaviors. However, it remains unclear when behaviors are seen as morally acceptable vs. become bullying. Moral judgments affect whether third parties deem it necessary to intervene. In this qualitative study, we first conceptualize and then explore via 27 interviews with Austrian HR professionals and employee representatives whether twelve diverse negative behaviors elicit distinct causal attributions and moral judgments. In particular, we examine how a perpetrator’s hierarchical position and gender shape the third parties’ evaluations. A qualitative content analysis reveals the behaviors vary in their perceived acceptability and associations with workplace bullying. Ambiguous behaviors require specific cues such a perpetrator’s malicious intent to be labeled workplace bullying. Overall, third parties judge behaviors by supervisors more harshly, particularly when managerial role expectations are violated. The majority of informants reject the notion that their perceptions are affected by perpetrator gender. Still, women who engage in behaviors associated with anger or a lack of empathy are often perceived as acting with intent. The findings suggest that the violation of social role expectations amplifies the attribution of dispositional causes (e.g., malicious intent). We discuss the relevance of perpetrator intent for research and practice.
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Arutyunova KR, Bakhchina AV, Sozinova IM, Alexandrov YI. Complexity of heart rate variability during moral judgement of actions and omissions. Heliyon 2020; 6:e05394. [PMID: 33235931 PMCID: PMC7672222 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05394] [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: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research strongly supports the idea that cardiac activity is involved in the organisation of behaviour, including social behaviour and social cognition. The aim of this work was to explore the complexity of heart rate variability, as measured by permutation entropy, while individuals were making moral judgements about harmful actions and omissions. Participants (N = 58, 50% women, age 21-52 years old) were presented with a set of moral dilemmas describing situations when sacrificing one person resulted in saving five other people. In line with previous studies, our participants consistently judged harmful actions as less permissible than equivalently harmful omissions (phenomenon known as the "omission bias"). Importantly, the response times were significantly longer and permutation entropy of the heart rate was higher when participants were evaluating harmful omissions, as compared to harmful actions. These results may be viewed as a psychophysiological manifestation of differences in causal attribution between actions and omissions. We discuss the obtained results from the positions of the system-evolutionary theory and propose that heart rate variability reflects complexity of the dynamics of neurovisceral activity within the organism-environment interactions, including their social aspects. This complexity can be described in terms of entropy and our work demonstrates the potential of permutation entropy as a tool of analyzing heart rate variability in relation to current behaviour and observed cognitive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina R. Arutyunova
- Laboratory of Neural Bases of Mind Named After V.B. Shvyrkov, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiia V. Bakhchina
- Laboratory of Neural Bases of Mind Named After V.B. Shvyrkov, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina M. Sozinova
- Laboratory of Neural Bases of Mind Named After V.B. Shvyrkov, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yuri I. Alexandrov
- Laboratory of Neural Bases of Mind Named After V.B. Shvyrkov, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
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Miozzo M, Navarrete E, Ongis M, Mello E, Girotto V, Peressotti F. Foreign language effect in decision-making: How foreign is it? Cognition 2020; 199:104245. [PMID: 32222524 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2020.104245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It has been shown that decisions and moral judgments differ when made using native languages compared to foreign languages. Cross-linguistic differences appeared in foreign languages that monolinguals typically acquired in school and used neither routinely nor extensively. We replicated these differences with two populations of proficient, native bilinguals (Italian-Venetian; Italian-Bergamasque). Venetian and Bergamasque are spoken in households and informal circles, unlike Italian, which is also used in more formal contexts. The findings reported in foreign languages for the Asian Disease Problem and the Footbridge Dilemma were reproduced in Venetian and Bergamasque. Our results show that language effects on decision-making and moral judgments are not restricted to foreign languages. The explanation proposed for foreign languages of cross-linguistic differences in emotion responses does not apply to our proficient, native bilinguals, who showed emotion responses of equal intensity in their languages. We propose that the contexts in which bilinguals use a language - either native, regional or foreign - could affect decisions.
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Universals and variations in moral decisions made in 42 countries by 70,000 participants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:2332-2337. [PMID: 31964849 PMCID: PMC7007553 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911517117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the largest cross-cultural study of moral preferences in sacrificial dilemmas, that is, the circumstances under which people find it acceptable to sacrifice one life to save several. On the basis of 70,000 responses to three dilemmas, collected in 10 languages and 42 countries, we document a universal qualitative pattern of preferences together with substantial country-level variations in the strength of these preferences. In particular, we document a strong association between low relational mobility (where people are more cautious about not alienating their current social partners) and the tendency to reject sacrifices for the greater good—which may be explained by the positive social signal sent by such a rejection. We make our dataset publicly available for researchers. When do people find it acceptable to sacrifice one life to save many? Cross-cultural studies suggested a complex pattern of universals and variations in the way people approach this question, but data were often based on small samples from a small number of countries outside of the Western world. Here we analyze responses to three sacrificial dilemmas by 70,000 participants in 10 languages and 42 countries. In every country, the three dilemmas displayed the same qualitative ordering of sacrifice acceptability, suggesting that this ordering is best explained by basic cognitive processes rather than cultural norms. The quantitative acceptability of each sacrifice, however, showed substantial country-level variations. We show that low relational mobility (where people are more cautious about not alienating their current social partners) is strongly associated with the rejection of sacrifices for the greater good (especially for Eastern countries), which may be explained by the signaling value of this rejection. We make our dataset fully available as a public resource for researchers studying universals and variations in human morality.
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Human moral reasoning types in autonomous vehicle moral dilemma: A cross-cultural comparison of Korea and Canada. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2019.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Not all who ponder count costs: Arithmetic reflection predicts utilitarian tendencies, but logical reflection predicts both deontological and utilitarian tendencies. Cognition 2019; 192:103995. [PMID: 31301587 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Conventional sacrificial moral dilemmas propose directly causing some harm to prevent greater harm. Theory suggests that accepting such actions (consistent with utilitarian philosophy) involves more reflective reasoning than rejecting such actions (consistent with deontological philosophy). However, past findings do not always replicate, confound different kinds of reflection, and employ conventional sacrificial dilemmas that treat utilitarian and deontological considerations as opposite. In two studies, we examined whether past findings would replicate when employing process dissociation to assess deontological and utilitarian inclinations independently. Findings suggested two categorically different impacts of reflection: measures of arithmetic reflection, such as the Cognitive Reflection Test, predicted only utilitarian, not deontological, response tendencies. However, measures of logical reflection, such as performance on logical syllogisms, positively predicted both utilitarian and deontological tendencies. These studies replicate some findings, clarify others, and reveal opportunity for additional nuance in dual process theorist's claims about the link between reflection and dilemma judgments.
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Moral Judgment: An Overlooked Deficient Domain in Multiple Sclerosis? Behav Sci (Basel) 2018; 8:bs8110105. [PMID: 30453483 PMCID: PMC6262463 DOI: 10.3390/bs8110105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system through which patients can suffer from sensory, motor, cerebellar, emotional, and cognitive symptoms. Although cognitive and behavioral dysfunctions are frequently encountered in MS patients, they have previously received little attention. Among the most frequently impaired cognitive domains are attention, information processing speed, and working memory, which have been extensively addressed in this population. However, less emphasis has been placed on other domains like moral judgment. The latter is a complex cognitive sphere that implies the individuals’ ability to judge others’ actions and relies on numerous affective and cognitive processes. Moral cognition is crucial for healthy and adequate interpersonal relationships, and its alteration might have drastic impacts on patients’ quality of life. This work aims to analyze the studies that have addressed moral cognition in MS. Only three works have previously addressed moral judgement in this clinical population compared to healthy controls, and none included neuroimaging or physiological measures. Although scarce, the available data suggest a complex pattern of moral judgments that deviate from normal response. This finding was accompanied by socio-emotional and cognitive deficits. Only preliminary data are available on moral cognition in MS, and its neurobiological foundations are still needing to be explored. Future studies would benefit from combining moral cognitive measures with comprehensive neuropsychological batteries and neuroimaging/neurophysiological modalities (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, tractography, evoked potentials, electroencephalography) aiming to decipher the neural underpinning of moral judgement deficits and subsequently conceive potential interventions in MS patients.
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Zhang L, Kong M, Li Z, Zhao X, Gao L. Chronic Stress and Moral Decision-Making: An Exploration With the CNI Model. Front Psychol 2018; 9:1702. [PMID: 30254597 PMCID: PMC6141736 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is prevalent in our daily life, and people often make moral decision-making in a stressful state. Several studies indicated the influence of acute stress on moral decision-making and behavior. The present study extended the investigation to chronic stress, and employed a new approach, the CNI model, to add new insights regarding the mechanism underlying the association between chronic stress and moral decision-making. A total of 197 undergraduates completed the Perceived Stress Scale and made moral decision-making on a series of deliberately designed moral dilemmas. The results indicated that higher chronic stress was related to more deontological moral choices. The process-dissociation analyses revealed that chronic stress was marginally significantly associated with deontological inclinations but not with utilitarian inclinations. And the CNI model analyses suggested that the high-stress group (above the median) showed a stronger general preference for inaction than the low-stress group (below the median) did, but there were no significant differences in sensitivity to consequences or sensitivity to moral norms between the two groups. Finally, the implications of the findings were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisong Zhang
- Institute of Disability Research, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing, China.,School of Social and Behavior Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ming Kong
- Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhongquan Li
- School of Social and Behavior Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xia Zhao
- School of Social and Behavior Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Liuping Gao
- School of Social and Behavior Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Abstract
Abstract. Younger (21–39 years) and older (63–90 years) adults were presented with scenarios illustrating either harmful or helpful actions. Each scenario provided information about the agent’s intention, either neutral or valenced (harmful/helpful), and the outcome of his or her action, either neutral or valenced. Participants were asked to rate how morally good or bad the agent’s action was. In judging harmful actions, older participants relied less on intentions and more on outcomes compared to younger participants. This age-related difference was associated with a decline in older adults’ theory of mind abilities. However, we did not find evidence of any significant age-related difference in the evaluations of helpful actions. We argue that the selective association of aging with changes in the evaluation of harmful but not helpful actions may be due also to motivational factors and highlight some implications of the present findings for judicial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Margoni
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Italy
| | - Janet Geipel
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Constantinos Hadjichristidis
- Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Italy
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Luca Surian
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Italy
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Armstrong J, Friesdorf R, Conway P. Clarifying Gender Differences in Moral Dilemma Judgments: The Complementary Roles of Harm Aversion and Action Aversion. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/1948550618755873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Moral dilemmas entail situations where decisions consistent with deontological principles (following moral rules) conflict with decisions consistent with utilitarian principles (maximizing overall outcomes). Past work employing process dissociation (PD) clarified that gender differences in utilitarianism are modest, but women are substantially more deontological than men. However, deontological judgments confound two motivations: harm aversion and action aversion. The current work presents a mega-analysis of eight studies ( N = 1,965) using PD to assess utilitarian and deontological response tendencies both when deontology entails inaction and when it requires action, to assess the independent contributions of harm aversion and action aversion. Results replicate and clarify past findings: Women scored higher than men on deontological tendencies, and this difference was enhanced when the deontological choice required refraining from harmful action rather than acting to prevent harm. That is, gender differences in deontological inclinations are caused by both harm aversion and action aversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Armstrong
- The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Paul Conway
- Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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The strategic moral self: Self-presentation shapes moral dilemma judgments. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Caravita SCS, De Silva LN, Pagani V, Colombo B, Antonietti A. Age-Related Differences in Contribution of Rule-Based Thinking toward Moral Evaluations. Front Psychol 2017; 8:597. [PMID: 28473788 PMCID: PMC5397530 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the interplay of different criteria of moral evaluation, related to the type of the rule and context characteristics, in moral reasoning of children, early, and late adolescents. Students attending to fourth, seventh, and tenth grade were asked to evaluate the acceptability of rule breaking actions using ad hoc scenarios. Results suggest that the role of different moral evaluation criteria changes by age. During adolescence a greater integration of the moral criteria emerged. Moreover, adolescents also prioritized the evaluation of moral rule (forbidding to harm others) violations as non-acceptable when the perpetrator harms an innocent victim by applying a direct personal force. The relevance of these findings to increase the understanding of how moral reasoning changes by age for the assessment of impairments in moral reasoning of non-normative groups is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona C S Caravita
- Department of Psychology, Centro di Ricerca sulle Dinamiche Evolutive ed Educative (CRIdee), Università Cattolicà del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy
| | - Lindamulage N De Silva
- Department of Psychology, Center for Research on Vocational Guidance and Socio-Professional Development, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy
| | - Vera Pagani
- Department of Psychology, Center for Research on Vocational Guidance and Socio-Professional Development, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy
| | - Barbara Colombo
- Education and Human Studies, Champlain CollegeBurlington, VT, USA
| | - Alessandro Antonietti
- Department of Psychology, Center for Research on Vocational Guidance and Socio-Professional Development, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreMilan, Italy
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Moral pluralism on the trolley tracks: Different normative principles are used for different reasons in justifying moral judgments. JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING 2017. [DOI: 10.1017/s1930297500005891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe psychological correlates of utilitarian choices in sacrificial moral dilemmas are contentious. In the literature, some research (Greene, et al., 2001) suggested that utilitarianism requires analytic thinking while other research (Kahane et al., 2015) showed that utilitarianism is correlated with psychopathy. In the present research, we looked at the relation of several normative views with analytic cognitive style (ACS), psychopathy and real-world utilitarianism in three Turkish samples. In Study 1 (n = 269), we used four ethical dilemmas and asked participants to select one normative principle as the grounds for their judgment in the dilemma: fatalism, virtue ethics, utilitarianism, deontology and amoralism. The results showed that the majority selected the deontological principle. Additionally, there was a considerable amount of fatalistic and virtue ethical justifications. Utilitarianism and psychopathy had a significant positive correlation. In Study 2 (n = 246), we replicated Study 1 and showed a significant relation between ACS and moral minimalism (the view that the sacrificial act is permissible but not necessary). In Study 3, the results showed that the utilitarian option in the sacrificial dilemmas was positively correlated with both real-life utilitarianism and psychopathy, but the latter two variables were not correlated with each other. All in all, the results suggest that some people choose the utilitarian option in moral dilemmas from psychopathic tendencies (as Kahane argued), while others due to real-life utilitarian reasons (as Greene argued). The findings also indicate that virtue ethical and fatalistic justifications cannot be ignored in understanding lay people’s moral judgments.
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