Comment on: Rokosz et al. (2025). Yes, many heads really are more utilitarian than one.

Area of Science:

• Moral Psychology
• Social Cognition
• Decision-Making

Background:

• Previous research indicates groups are more utilitarian than individuals in moral dilemmas.
• The Cognitive-Norm-Intention (CNI) model by Gawronski et al. (2017) has been used to explain these findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the CNI model's explanation for group differences in utilitarian judgments.
• To investigate the role of nonsensical responses in group decision-making during moral dilemmas.

Main Methods:

• Application of the CNI model to analyze group versus individual responses in sacrificial moral dilemmas.
• Statistical analysis to account for nonsensical responses in the CNI model.

Main Results:

• Rokosz et al. (2025) initially found groups' increased utilitarianism stems from attention to consequences, not deontological norms.
• This study demonstrates that groups also reduce nonsensical responses.
• Accounting for nonsensical responses reveals groups increase attention to consequences AND reduce attention to deontological norms.

Conclusions:

• Group discussion may reduce the influence of deontological norms, which hinder utilitarian judgments.
• The CNI model, when accounting for nonsensical responses, provides a more comprehensive explanation for group utilitarianism.
• Group dynamics significantly impact moral decision-making by altering cognitive and normative considerations.