Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
06:51
The Modified Temptation Resistance Task: A Paradigm to Elicit Children's Strategic Lie-telling
Published on: April 6, 2018
Mysteries of morality
Peter DeScioli1, Robert Kurzban
1Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. descioli@psych.upenn.edu
Cognition
|June 10, 2009
Summary
Evolutionary morality studies often overlook condemnation, focusing instead on conscience. This research explores condemnation
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary psychology
- Moral philosophy
- Behavioral economics
Background:
- Evolutionary theories of morality predominantly explain altruism and conscience.
- There's a significant neglect in understanding condemnation mechanisms (punishing others).
- This gap limits the analysis of third-party judgment and punishment data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To illuminate condemnation by examining strategic interactions among actors, victims, and third parties.
- To propose that actor conscience and third-party condemnation utilize distinct cognitive mechanisms.
- To offer a new perspective on conscience's insensitivity to consequences by framing it as a defense against third-party punishment.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of strategic interactions in moral contexts.
- Comparative analysis of adaptive problems faced by actors and third parties.
- Reinterpretation of existing experimental findings on conscience.
Main Results:
- Actor conscience and third-party condemnation likely involve separate cognitive systems.
- Conscience's insensitivity to consequences may be explained by its role in avoiding third-party punishment.
- Understanding condemnation is crucial for a comprehensive theory of conscience.
Conclusions:
- Condemnation, particularly third-party judgment, moralistic punishment, and moral impartiality, presents key evolutionary mysteries.
- A defense-oriented function of conscience, tailored to condemnation mechanisms, offers a novel explanatory framework.
- Further research into condemnation is essential for advancing evolutionary moral psychology.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Kohlberg's theory of moral development uses the Heinz dilemma — a thought experiment in which a man, Heinz, must decide whether to steal an unaffordable drug to save his dying wife — to illustrate the evolution of moral reasoning. This framework, divided into three levels with two stages, highlights how individuals' understanding of right and wrong becomes increasingly complex.
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
01:22Ethics and Bioethics
Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...
01:55Egoism and Altruism
Voluntary behavior with the intent to help other people is called prosocial behavior. Why do people help other people? Is personal benefit such as feeling good about oneself the only reason people help one another?
01:30Ethical Dilemmas II
Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
00:56Attribution Theory
Behavior is a product of both the situation (e.g., cultural influences, social roles, and the presence of bystanders) and of the person (e.g., personality characteristics). Subfields of psychology tend to focus on one influence or behavior over others. Situationism is the view that our behavior and actions are determined by our immediate environment and surroundings. In contrast, dispositionism holds that our behavior is determined by internal factors (Heider, 1958). An internal factor is an...
01:56Ethics in Research
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.