Moral judgment under uncertainty: A CNI model analysis

Abstract

AbstractPast research suggests that uncertainty reduces our preference for utilitarian over deontological responses in moral dilemmas. The objective of the current research was to disentangle the possible mechanisms through which uncertainty shapes moral‐dilemma responses. Using the CNI model of moral decision‐making, we examined if uncertainty influences moral‐dilemma responses via sensitivity to consequences, sensitivity to moral norms, or general action tendencies. Across four preregistered experiments (N = 1400), sensitivity to consequences was lower when the outcomes in moral dilemmas were uncertain than when they were certain. This effect emerged regardless of whether participants were asked to judge if they would perform the described actions or if they deem the described actions acceptable. The results are consistent with accounts suggesting that uncertain outcomes influence responses in moral dilemmas through discounting of cost‐benefit ratios. Implications for public policy and moral decisions in real‐world contexts are discussed.