Moral decision making is a fascinating and complex process that individuals have been studying throughout human history. More recently, psychologists have begun investigating this process, which has been contributing valuable insights to help us understand who we are as human beings. In this episode, I speak with Jeffrey Robinson who is a researcher in this field of moral psychology, and we discuss one of his recent publications titled “Empathy for the group versus indifference toward the victim: Effects of anxious avoidant attachment on moral judgment.” I hope that you enjoy the interview, and thank you for listening.

Abstract

“Research on deontological versus utilitarian moral reasoning has been largely silent on how interpersonal experiences shape moral judgment. We hypothesized that both anxious and avoidant attachment would predict the propensity to make utilitarian versus deontological judgments, but via different pathways. In Studies 1 and 2, the link between anxious attachment and utilitarianism was mediated by the need to belong and empathy toward the group. In contrast, the link between avoidant attachment and utilitarianism was mediated by discomfort with caring for others and decreased empathy toward the individual victim. In Study 3, the moral judgments of anxiously attached individuals changed to more closely match the group's desired outcome: utilitarian or deontological. In contrast, the judgments of avoidantly attached individuals moved in opposition to the desire of the group. The distinct paths to utilitarianism displayed by anxious and avoidant individuals suggest that utilitarianism may result from a diverse set of psychological processes.”

Mentioned Resources

Very Bad Wizards

Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error

The Better Angels of Our Nature