Framing Effect in the Trolley Problem and Footbridge Dilemma

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Moral Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Moral decision-making is a complex cognitive process.
• Previous research suggests framing and context influence ethical judgments.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for predicting human behavior in moral dilemmas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of dilemma type, framing, and the number of lives saved on moral decision-making.
• To determine how framing influences the inclination towards utilitarian or intuitive moral judgments.
• To explore the moderating roles of dilemma type and the number of saved lives.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 591 undergraduates randomly assigned to 12 experimental groups.
• Manipulation of dilemma type (trolley problem vs. footbridge dilemma), framing (positive, neutral, negative), and number of workers (5 or 15).
• Analysis of main effects and interactions between independent variables on moral judgments.

Main Results:

• Significant main effects were found for dilemma type, frame, and number of saved workers.
• Significant interactions were observed between dilemma type and number of saved workers, and among all three factors.
• Positive or neutral frames led to more utilitarian choices, while negative frames favored intuitionism.

Conclusions:

• Framing significantly impacts moral judgment, shifting preferences between utilitarianism and intuitionism.
• The influence of framing is moderated by the specific moral dilemma and the number of lives at stake.
• These findings provide insights into the nuanced nature of ethical decision-making in varying contexts.