Disrupting the right prefrontal cortex alters moral judgement

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• Moral decision-making involves complex interactions between emotion and reason.
• The role of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFc) in moral evaluation is debated, with some theories suggesting control over emotions and others proposing emotional information processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the function of the rDLPFc in moral decision-making.
• To determine if disrupting rDLPFc activity influences moral judgment, specifically the balance between utilitarian and emotional responses.

Main Methods:

• Utilized repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to temporarily inhibit the rDLPFc.
• Assessed moral decision-making in response to moral dilemmas in participants receiving real rTMS versus a sham procedure.

Main Results:

• Participants in the rTMS group showed a higher probability of making utilitarian responses when evaluating moral dilemmas.
• This effect was observed in objective evaluations, suggesting a role for the rDLPFc beyond simple emotional suppression.

Conclusions:

• The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFc) is involved in more than just rational cognitive control.
• Findings indicate that the rDLPFc integrates emotional information, derived from contextual appraisal, into moral judgments, significantly influencing response selection.