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Related Experiment Video

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A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

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Neurocomputational model of moral behaviour.

Alessio Plebe¹

¹Department of Cognitive Science, Education, and Cultural Studies, v. Concezione 8, Messina, Italy. aplebe@unime.it.

Biological Cybernetics

|November 21, 2015

Summary

This study introduces the MOral Neural Engine (MONE), a novel neurocomputational model simulating moral cognition. MONE models guilt in response to transgressions, advancing computational approaches to understanding human morality.

Keywords:

Cortical model Decision-making Moral behavior Moral emotions Reinforcement learning

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Psychology
Artificial Intelligence

Background:

Human morality understanding has advanced via neuroscience, psychology, and social sciences.
Computational modeling, specifically neurocomputational approaches, is a missing element in studying moral behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce MOral Neural Engine (MONE), a novel neurocomputational model.
To simulate the emergence of moral cognition and behavior.

Main Methods:

Developed MONE, a neurocomputational model simulating moral cognition.
Model neural engine based in frontal cortex (orbitofrontal, ventromedial prefrontal cortex) and limbic areas (ventral striatum, amygdala).
Simulated guilt learning from victim's angry facial expressions in a food-stealing scenario.

Main Results:

MONE simulates the emergence of moral cognition.
The model demonstrates how guilt can be learned through social feedback (victim's expression).
Initial implementation focuses on a specific moral situation: food stealing.

Conclusions:

MONE represents a first step in neurocomputational modeling of moral behavior.
The model highlights the role of specific brain regions and emotional learning in moral cognition.
Further development can expand the model to diverse moral scenarios and cognitive processes.