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Can we get human nature right?

Iris Berent1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

People intuitively believe emotions are innate while concepts are learned, influenced by dualism and essentialism. This psychological bias affects how we scientifically evaluate human nature and innateness.

Keywords:
conceptsdualismessentialisminnatenessintuitive psychology

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Philosophy of Mind

Background:

  • The nature versus nurture debate is central to understanding human nature.
  • Psychological science posits newborns possess innate core concepts (object, number).
  • Lay beliefs often contrast with scientific findings regarding infant cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how intuitive psychological principles bias reasoning about innateness.
  • To explore laypeople's beliefs about innate versus learned concepts and emotions.
  • To connect these beliefs to underlying cognitive biases.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of intuitive psychological principles: intuitive dualism and essentialism.
  • Examination of lay beliefs regarding infant cognitive abilities.
  • Comparison of lay beliefs with psychological science findings on innateness.

Main Results:

  • Laypeople believe newborns lack innate concepts (object, number) but recognize emotions.
  • A common presumption is that concepts are learned, while emotions are innate.
  • These beliefs are explained by intuitive dualism (mind-body separation) and essentialism (innate traits in the body).

Conclusions:

  • Intuitive dualism and essentialism shape our understanding of what is innate.
  • Our intuitive psychology suggests concepts are disembodied (learned) and emotions embodied (innate).
  • These cognitive biases necessitate caution when scientifically evaluating the innateness of concepts and emotions.