Challenges in Process Dissociation Measures for Moral Cognition

Sex Differences Partially Moderate the Relationships Between Personal Values and the Preference for Cross-Sex Friendships (Heterosociality)

Abstract. A key differentiation in studies on friendship research is between the same-sex and cross-sex friendships of women and men. Although most women and men prefer same-sex over cross-sex friends, most people do commonly have cross-sex friendships, and there are large interindividual differences in the proportions of cross-sex friends in individual friendship networks. Recent studies have suggested that same-sex and cross-sex friendships fulfill different goals for women and men. Therefore, individuals’ personal values (as representations of their enduring goals) may be associated with the types of friendships they prefer. The present study explores associations between personal values and people’s preferences for cross-sex friendships (heterosociality). A sample of 1,333 participants completed the assessment. Results showed that the associations were partially moderated by sex. For men, the value of tradition, whereas for women, the values of security, self-direction, and tradition were found to be significantly associated with the individual proportions of cross-sex friends. These findings contribute to understanding friendship selection and underline the importance of differentiating between same-sex and cross-sex friendships in women and men.

Moral Uncanny Valley: A Robot’s Appearance Moderates How its Decisions are Judged

Artificial intelligence and robotics are rapidly advancing. Humans are increasingly often affected by autonomous machines making choices with moral repercussions. At the same time, classical research in robotics shows that people are adverse to robots that appear eerily human—a phenomenon commonly referred to as the uncanny valley effect. Yet, little is known about how machines’ appearances influence how human evaluate their moral choices. Here we integrate the uncanny valley effect into moral psychology. In two experiments we test whether humans evaluate identical moral choices made by robots differently depending on the robots’ appearance. Participants evaluated either deontological (“rule based”) or utilitarian (“consequence based”) moral decisions made by different robots. The results provide first indication that people evaluate moral choices by robots that resemble humans as less moral compared to the same moral choices made by humans or non-human robots: a moral uncanny valley effect. We discuss the implications of our findings for moral psychology, social robotics and AI-safety policy.