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Nasello JA, Triffaux JM. The role of empathy in trolley problems and variants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 62:1753-1781. [PMID: 37314211 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12654] [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: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The role of empathy in morality is a subject of ongoing scientific debate due to the lack of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on this topic. To address this gap, we conducted a PRISMA-based systematic quantitative review to investigate the role of empathy in moral judgements, decision-making, and inclinations using trolley problems and variants, which are popular types of moral dilemmas that explore utilitarianism and deontology. We searched for articles in four databases (PsycINFO, Pubmed, WorldWideScience, and Scopus) and performed citation searches. Out of 661 records, we selected 34 that studied the associations between empathy and moral judgements, moral decision-making, and/or moral inclinations. Six meta-analyses and systematic reviews of these records consistently showed small to moderate associations between affective empathy and these moral parameters, particularly in personal moral dilemmas involving intentional harm (although some approaches highlighted more complex associations between these parameters). Regarding other empathy domains, most studies found limited or insignificant links between cognitive empathy domains and moral judgements, decision-making, and inclinations. We discuss the nuances and implications of these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian A Nasello
- Psychiatric Day Hospital "La Clé", Liège, Belgium
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marc Triffaux
- Psychiatric Day Hospital "La Clé", Liège, Belgium
- Department of Psychiatry, Medicine, University of Liège, CHU of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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2
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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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Daley RT, Kensinger EA. Cognitive decline, socioemotional change, or both? How the science of aging can inform future research on sacrificial moral dilemmas. NEUROPSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENT, AND COGNITION. SECTION B, AGING, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2023; 30:272-299. [PMID: 34933658 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2021.2019183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Older adults comprise the fastest-growing population in the United States. By exercising their right to vote, guiding the value systems of future generations, and holding political office, they shape the moral context of society. It is therefore imperative that we understand older adults' capacity for moral decision-making. Although the vast majority of research on moral decision-making has either focused specifically on younger adults or has not considered age, recent work points to age-related differences in sacrificial moral decision-making, with cognitively healthy older adults making more deontological decisions relative to younger adults. Although only a small number of studies have to date examined age-related differences, there is a wealth of relevant literature on cognitive aging, as well as on sacrificial moral decision-making in younger adults, that point to possible mechanistic explanations for the observed age-related differences. The goal of this review is to situate these age-related differences in sacrificial moral decision-making in the context of these existing literatures in order to guide future, theory-informed, research in this area. We specifically highlight age-related decline in cognitive abilities purported to support utilitarian moral decision-making in younger adults, along with age-related changes to socioemotional information processing as potential mechanistic explanations for these age-related differences. The last section of this review discusses how age-related neural changes may contribute to both cognitive decline and motivational shifts, highlighting the importance for future research to understand brain-behavior relationships on the topic of sacrificial moral decision-making and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Daley
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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Age-related differences in Default Mode Network resting-state functional connectivity but not gray matter volume relate to sacrificial moral decision-making and working memory performance. Neuropsychologia 2022; 177:108399. [PMID: 36332697 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108399] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Older adults make fewer utilitarian decisions than younger adults during sacrificial moral dilemmas, which are associated with age-related reductions in Default Mode Network resting-state functional connectivity. Decreases on tasks associated with fluid cognitive abilities, such as working memory capacity, are also associated with age-related Default Mode Network changes. Regions within this network demonstrate some of the greatest age-related gray matter atrophy. Age-related changes in structure and function of the Default Mode Network may be associated with poorer working memory capacity and reduced utilitarian moral decision-making. Alternatively, recent theories suggest that age-related changes to Default Mode Network function may be adaptive in the context of tasks that include socioemotional components. As such, reduced within-network resting-state functional connectivity of the Default Mode Network may be associated with differential outcomes in moral decision-making for younger and older adults. In the present study, there were no age-related differences in working memory capacity. Older adults were less likely than younger adults to indicate the utilitarian option when trials involved Instrumental harm. Generally, increased within-network resting-state functional connectivity of the Default Mode Network was associated with better working memory performance in both groups, and reduced bias to endorse the utilitarian option during Incidental dilemmas compared to Instrumental dilemmas in younger adults. Older adults with similar moral decision-making behavior to younger adults demonstrated increased coupling between Default Mode Network and Salience Network regions. These findings suggest that Default Mode Network functional integrity may be differentially associated with age-related changes to working memory capacity and sacrificial moral decision-making.
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Fernandes C, Pasion R, Gonçalves AR, Almeida R, Garcez H, Ferreira-Santos F, Barbosa F, Marques-Teixeira J. Awareness to utilitarian responses in later life: an ERP study with moral dilemmas. Neurosci Lett 2022; 787:136824. [PMID: 35917838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136824] [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: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current study aims to provide the first insights into the neural correlates of utilitarian and deontological responses to moral dilemmas across the lifespan.To this purpose, younger (n=30), middle-aged (n=29), and older adults (n=29) completed moral dilemmas during an EEG recording.Behaviorally, groups did not differ in the number of utilitarian responses and reaction times. However, at the neural level, older adults had higher Error Positivity (Pe) amplitudes than younger adults after utilitarian responses.As this effect was specific to utilitarian responses, it suggests that utilitarian decisions may induce increased conflict in the older group. These findings highlight that older adults may be more aware of the harmful outcomes of utilitarian decisions during moral decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Fernandes
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab.
| | - Rita Pasion
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab; Lusófona University Lisbon, Portugal; Lusófona University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana R Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
| | - Rita Almeida
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
| | - Helena Garcez
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
| | - Fernando Ferreira-Santos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
| | - João Marques-Teixeira
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto. Digital Human-Environment Interaction Lab
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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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Gawronski B. Moral impressions and presumed moral choices: Perceptions of how moral exemplars resolve moral dilemmas. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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8
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Koenig S, Gao Y. Moral decision making in adolescents: The effects of peer attachment, interpersonal affect, and gender. J Adolesc 2022; 94:166-175. [DOI: 10.1002/jad.12015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Koenig
- Psychology Program The Graduate Center of the City University of New York New York New York USA
- Department of Psychology Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Brooklyn New York USA
| | - Yu Gao
- Psychology Program The Graduate Center of the City University of New York New York New York USA
- Department of Psychology Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Brooklyn New York USA
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Luke DM, Gawronski B. Political Ideology and Moral Dilemma Judgments: An Analysis Using the CNI Model. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2021; 47:1520-1531. [PMID: 33615911 DOI: 10.1177/0146167220987990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many real-world dilemmas involve disagreement about whether decisions should follow moral norms in an unconditional manner (deontology) or be based on the consequences for the greater good (utilitarianism). To examine how political ideology may account for some of these disagreements, the current research used a formal modeling approach to investigate the associations between political ideology and (a) sensitivity to consequences, (b) sensitivity to moral norms, and (c) general preference for inaction versus action in responses to moral dilemmas. Across three studies (N = 996) with samples from the United States (Studies 1 and 3) and the United Kingdom (Study 2), conservatives were less influenced by overall consequences for the greater good in comparison with liberals. Political ideology was not significantly associated with sensitivity to moral norms and general action tendencies. The findings provide more nuanced insights into how political ideology may contribute to disagreements on real-world moral dilemmas.
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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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Luke DM, Gawronski B. Temporal Stability of Moral Dilemma Judgments: A Longitudinal Analysis Using the CNI Model. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2021; 48:1191-1203. [PMID: 34338077 DOI: 10.1177/01461672211035024] [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: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Although moral dilemma judgments are influenced by a variety of situational factors, there is evidence for considerable disagreement between individuals. Using the CNI model to disentangle (a) sensitivity to consequences, (b) sensitivity to moral norms, and (c) general preference for inaction versus action in responses to moral dilemmas, the current research examined the temporal stability of individual differences along the three dimensions. Across two time points 1 month apart, sensitivity to consequences (r = .81) and sensitivity to norms (r = .84) showed high levels of stability that were comparable to the Big Five personality traits; general preference for inaction versus action showed lower stability (r = .41). Exploratory analyses revealed reliable associations between the three dimensions of moral dilemma judgments and three of the Big Five (extraversion, agreeableness, openness). Together, these findings provide evidence for stable individual differences in moral dilemma judgments that are related to basic personality traits.
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Rehren
- Ethics Institute, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Walter Sinnott-Armstrong
- Ethics Institute, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Philosophy, Duke University, Durham, USA
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13
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Rivera-Urbina GN, Molero-Chamizo A, Hinojiante H, Vargas-Contreras E, Martínez-Garcia C. High and low conflict moral dilemmas resolution: comparing moral judgment from Spanish and Mexican samples. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00049530.2021.1882276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Nathzidy Rivera-Urbina
- School of Administrative and Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico
| | | | - Héctor Hinojiante
- School of Administrative and Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico
| | - Eunice Vargas-Contreras
- School of Administrative and Social Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Mexico
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Heiphetz L. The development and consequences of moral essentialism. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 59:165-194. [PMID: 32564793 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2020.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Children report that many natural kinds, social groups, and psychological characteristics arise from an innate, internal "essence" that is rooted in biology and remains stable over time. These perceptions persist into adulthood, albeit often in weakened form. This chapter argues that in addition to the domains previously examined in the essentialism literature, children-and to some extent adults-also view moral characteristics in essentialist terms. This form of essentialism has important social consequences, including in the area of prosocial behavior and in the legal domain. The body of evidence reviewed here suggests that children's and adults' moral judgments depend not just on what people do but also on perceptions of who those people are, i.e., whether they are people of good or bad moral character.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larisa Heiphetz
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
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Yang Y, Wang C, Li X, Yu R, Zhang M, Xue M, Guo W, He L, Gao X, Gong P. The 5-HTTLPR polymorphism impacts moral permissibility of impersonal harmful behaviors. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:911-918. [PMID: 31506681 PMCID: PMC6847979 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inspired by the roles of serotonin in an emotional aversion to harmful actions, we examined to what extent serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT)–linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), a proxy for measuring serotonin function, underpinned the individual differences in moral judgment through cross-sectional analysis and two-wave comparison. The cross-sectional analysis with a larger cohort (N = 1197) showed that the SS carriers of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, corresponding to the low ratio of serotonin recycling from the synaptic cleft, rated impersonal harmful actions (e.g. flipping a switch to divert a train to hit one person instead of five people) as more permissible as compared with the L-allele carriers. The two-wave comparison with a subsample from the larger cohort (N = 563) indicated that the association between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and moral permissibility of impersonal harmful actions was stable from wave 1 to wave 2. Thus, these findings highlight the importance of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism to harmful moral behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafang Yang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Chunlan Wang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaohan Li
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Rongjun Yu
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570
| | - Mengfei Zhang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Mengying Xue
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Wenxuan Guo
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Linlin He
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaocai Gao
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
| | - Pingyuan Gong
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,College of Medicine, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China.,Institute of Population and Health, Northwest University, 710069 Xi'an, China
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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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18
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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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19
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Translation and validation of the Moral Foundations Vignettes (MFVs) for the Portuguese language in a Brazilian sample. JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING 2020. [DOI: 10.1017/s1930297500006963] [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 Moral Foundations Vignettes (MFVs) – a recently developed set of brief scenarios depicting violations of various moral foundations – enables investigators to directly examine differences in moral judgments about different topics. In the present study, we adapt the MFV instrument for use in the Portuguese language. To this end, the following steps were performed: 1) Translation of the MFV instrument from English to Portuguese language in Brazil; 2) Synthesis of translated versions; 3) Evaluation of the synthesis by expert judges; 4) Evaluation of the MFV instrument by university students from Sao Paulo City; 5) Back translation; and lastly, 6) Validation study, which used a sample of 494 (385f) university students from Sao Paulo city and a set of 68 vignettes, subdivided into seven factors. Exploratory analyses show that the relationships between the moral foundations and political ideology are similar to those found in previous studies, but the severity of moral judgment on individualizing foundations tended to be significantly higher in the Sao Paulo sample, compared to a sample from the USA. Overall, the present study provides a Portuguese version of the MFV that performs similarly to the original English version, enabling a broader examination of how the moral foundations operate.
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Oh J, Chopik WJ, Konrath S, Grimm KJ. Longitudinal Changes in Empathy Across the Life Span in Six Samples of Human Development. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PERSONALITY SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1948550619849429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The development of empathy is a hotly debated topic. Some studies find declines and others an inverse U-shaped pattern in empathy across the life span. Yet other studies find no age-related changes. Most of this research is cross sectional, and the few longitudinal studies have their limitations. The current study addresses these limitations by examining changes in empathy in six longitudinal samples (total N = 740, age 13–72). In a preliminary study ( N = 784), we created and validated a measure of empathy out of the California Adult Q-Sort. The samples were combined for multilevel analyses in a variant of an accelerated longitudinal design. We found that empathy increased across the life span, particularly after age 40, and more recent cohorts were higher in empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeewon Oh
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Sara Konrath
- Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Bostyn DH, Sevenhant S, Roets A. Beyond physical harm: how preference for consequentialism and primary psychopathy relate to decisions on a monetary trolley dilemma. THINKING & REASONING 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/13546783.2018.1497536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dries H. Bostyn
- Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sybren Sevenhant
- Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arne Roets
- Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Affiliation(s)
- John Bickle
- Department of Philosophy and Religion, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
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McNair S, Okan Y, Hadjichristidis C, de Bruin WB. Age differences in moral judgment: Older adults are more deontological than younger adults. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon McNair
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
| | - Yasmina Okan
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
| | - Constantinos Hadjichristidis
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
- Department of Management and Economics; University of Trento; Trento Italy
| | - Wändi Bruine de Bruin
- Centre for Decision Research, Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, 129 Baker Hall; Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh PA USA
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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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