Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Self-Serving Bias01:29

Self-Serving Bias

197
Self-serving bias is a cognitive phenomenon in which individuals attribute positive outcomes to internal factors such as their abilities, intelligence, or effort while attributing negative outcomes to external circumstances. This cognitive distortion helps maintain self-esteem but can also impede objective self-assessment.Theoretical Explanations of Self-Serving BiasTwo primary theories explain the self-serving bias: the cognitive explanation and the motivational explanation.The cognitive...
197
Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

2.7K
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process...
2.7K
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

277
A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are...
277
Unrealistic Optimism Bias01:30

Unrealistic Optimism Bias

201
Unrealistic optimism bias is the tendency to overestimate the likelihood of positive outcomes. This cognitive bias makes individuals believe they are less likely to experience failures, setbacks, or risks and more likely to succeed than others. For example, people may assume they are less prone to health issues, accidents, or financial struggles than their peers, even when they share similar risk factors.One key component of this bias is the above-average effect, where individuals perceive...
201
Equity Theory01:26

Equity Theory

252
Equity theory explains how our sense of fairness influences the dynamics of close relationships. Rooted in social psychology, the theory posits that individuals evaluate fairness by comparing the ratio of their contributions to the rewards they receive. Relationship satisfaction is highest when these ratios are perceived as balanced between partners, promoting mutual reciprocity and a sense of justice.Equity vs. Equality in RelationshipsEquity is distinct from equality. Fairness does not...
252
Motivational Bias01:25

Motivational Bias

306
Cognitive bias results from limitations in thinking and information processing, leading to systematic errors in judgment. Conversely, motivational bias stems from personal desires or emotions, causing distortions in perception to align with self-interest. Motivational bias influences how individuals perceive and attribute causes to events, often shaped by personal needs, goals, and self-esteem preservation. This bias can distort judgment, leading to inaccurate assessments of success, failure,...
306

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cognitive Bioprediction and Moral Responsibility: Foreseeability, Control and the Ethics of Anticipated Cognitive Impairment.

AJOB neuroscience·2026
Same author

In vitro fertilisation mix-ups and contested parenthood.

Journal of medical ethics·2026
Same author

Is germline genome-editing person-affecting or identity-affecting, and does it matter?

Bioethics·2025
Same author

Determining the state of guidance on pediatric biobanking for researchers, HRECS, and families: Regulatory mapping of international guidance.

European journal of pediatrics·2024
Same author

Gene-environment interaction: why genetic enhancement might never be distributed fairly.

Journal of medical ethics·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity
06:11

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

804

Cognitive gene enhancements and the capitalist meritocracy.

Sinead Prince1

  • 1Centre for Biomedical Science, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore. sprince@nus.edu.sg.

BMC Medical Ethics
|January 9, 2026
PubMed
Summary

The pursuit of cognitive enhancements (CE) may not be authentic, potentially driven by oppressive capitalist norms valuing superintelligence and productivity. This challenges the moral permissibility of cognitive gene enhancements.

Keywords:
AutonomyCognitionEnhancementsEthicsGene editingOppression

More Related Videos

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

12.1K
Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction
16:23

Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction

Published on: February 26, 2014

14.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 13, 2026

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity
06:11

High-definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Right Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex to Enhance Metacognitive Sensitivity

Published on: September 26, 2025

804
Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

12.1K
Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction
16:23

Automated, Quantitative Cognitive/Behavioral Screening of Mice: For Genetics, Pharmacology, Animal Cognition and Undergraduate Instruction

Published on: February 26, 2014

14.9K

Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Neuroethics
  • Sociology of Technology

Background:

  • The relationship between cognitive enhancements (CE) and human autonomy/authenticity is typically viewed as CE impacting these traits.
  • The value and pursuit of CE itself are rarely examined for authenticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To argue that the moral permissibility of cognitive gene enhancements is undermined by concerns about their authentic value.
  • To investigate if the widespread desire for CE is influenced by oppressive societal norms.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation
  • Critical analysis of societal norms
  • Examination of capitalist meritocracy's influence

Main Results:

  • The value placed on CE may stem from oppressive norms promoting "superintelligence" and productivity.
  • These norms are argued to originate from a capitalist meritocracy with patriarchal and racist underpinnings.
  • The claim of autonomous choice in using CE is weakened, especially concerning genetic modifications.

Conclusions:

  • The moral permissibility of cognitive gene enhancements is questionable due to potentially inauthentic motivations.
  • Capitalist meritocracy's influence on norms for intelligence and productivity must be considered.
  • The autonomy associated with CE use is less robust than often assumed, particularly with genetic interventions.