Transfer effects between moral dilemmas: a causal model theory.

Area of Science:

• Moral Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Moral intuitions are influenced by evaluating analogous situations.
• Previous research noted an asymmetry in transfer effects between moral dilemmas, where the order mattered.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and test a new theory explaining the asymmetry in transfer effects between moral intuitions.
• To investigate the roles of causal structure and default evaluations in moral dilemma transfer.

Main Methods:

• Developed a theory focusing on causal models and default evaluations of moral dilemmas.
• Conducted five experiments testing predictions on transfer occurrence and direction.
• Performed a sixth experiment examining the representation of target actions in moral dilemmas.

Main Results:

• Transfer effects were observed when the causal models allowed for aspect mapping and default evaluations differed substantially.
• The theory's predictions regarding the direction and occurrence of transfer were supported.
• Experiment six provided insights into how target actions are represented within moral dilemmas.

Conclusions:

• The proposed theory effectively explains the asymmetric transfer of moral intuitions.
• Causal structure and default evaluations are key components influencing moral intuition transfer.
• Findings advance understanding of moral judgment and decision-making processes.