Abstract
RationaleHypothetical moral dilemmas, pitting characteristically utilitarian and non-utilitarian outcomes against each other, have played a central role in investigations of moral decision-making. Preferences for utilitarian over non-utilitarian responses have been explained by two contrasting hypotheses; one implicating increased deliberative reasoning, and the other implicating diminished harm aversion. In recent field experiments, these hypotheses have been investigated using alcohol intoxication to impair both social and cognitive functioning. These studies have found increased utilitarian responding, arguably as a result of alcohol impairing affective empathy.ObjectivesThe present research expands existing investigations by examining the acute effects of alcohol on affective empathy and subsequent moral judgments in traditional vignettes and moral actions in virtual reality, as well as physiological responses in moral dilemmas.MethodsParticipants (N = 48) were administered either a placebo or alcohol in one of two dosages; low or moderate. Both pre- and post intervention, participants completed a moral action and moral judgment task alongside behavioural measures of affective empathy.ResultsHigher dosages of alcohol consumption resulted in inappropriate empathic responses to facial displays of emotion, mirroring responses of individuals high in trait psychopathy, but empathy for pain was unaffected. Whilst affective empathy was influenced by alcohol consumption in a facial responding task, both moral judgments and moral actions were unaffected.ConclusionsThese results suggest that facets, beyond or in addition to deficits in affective empathy, might influence the relationship between alcohol consumption and utilitarian endorsements.
Highlights
Provocative moral dilemmas, pitting characteristically utilitarian versus deontological ideologies against eachElectronic supplementary material The online version of this article contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.other, have played a central role in the investigation of moral judgment (e.g. Bartels et al 2015; Cushman et al 2010)
1 Given that ‘empathy’ encompasses a variety of related phenomena (Decety and Cowell 2015), here we investigate the affective components of empathy and define affective empathy as ‘...the generation of an appropriate emotional reaction in response to others’ emotions’ (Feshbach, 1978; 1987 as adopted by and cited in Wai and Tiliopoulos 2012)
blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels were significantly different between all conditions, (F(2, 45) = 51.97, p < .001, ηp2 = .70), with average peak BAC levels (%) highest in the high alcohol condition (M = 0.03%, SD = 0.01, Range = 0.01–0.05%), moderate in the low alcohol condition (M = 0.01%, SD = 0.01, Range = 0–0.03%), and as expected, absent in the placebo condition
Summary
In the footbridge dilemma, individuals must decide whether to push a large person in front of the trolley, in order to stop it from killing the five workers on the tracks (Foot 1978). This ‘trolley problem’ has generated interest as individuals tend to give the typically consequentialist or utilitarian judgment (they judge that maximising the number of lives saved is morally acceptable) in the switch case, but refuse to do so in a characteristically deontological sense (harm is wrong and the ends do not justify the means) in the footbridge case (Thomson 1976). Greene’s dual process model of moral judgment (Greene et al 2001) distinguishes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
