Hopp, F.R., Amir, O., Fisher, J.T. et al.
Nat Hum Behav 7, 2182–2198 (2023).
Abstract
Moral foundations theory (MFT) holds that moral judgements are driven by modular and ideologically variable moral foundations but where and how these foundations are represented in the brain and shaped by political beliefs remains an open question. Using a moral vignette judgement task (n = 64), we probed the neural (dis)unity of moral foundations. Univariate analyses revealed that moral judgement of moral foundations, versus conventional norms, reliably recruits core areas implicated in theory of mind. Yet, multivariate pattern analysis demonstrated that each moral foundation elicits dissociable neural representations distributed throughout the cortex. As predicted by MFT, individuals’ liberal or conservative orientation modulated neural responses to moral foundations. Our results confirm that each moral foundation recruits domain-general mechanisms of social cognition but also has a dissociable neural signature malleable by sociomoral experience. We discuss these findings in view of unified versus dissociable accounts of morality and their neurological support for MFT.
Here is a summary, of sorts:
This fMRI study investigated the neural basis of moral judgment using Moral Foundations Theory (MFT). The findings suggest that while moral foundations share some common brain regions with social norm judgments, they also have distinct neural signatures. This supports the theory that moral foundations are not isolated modules but rather rely on distributed brain systems.
Interestingly, the study also revealed that judging violations of group-oriented moral foundations (loyalty, authority, sanctity) activates brain regions associated with processing others, compared to individual-focused foundations (care, fairness). Additionally, liberals and conservatives showed distinct neural responses to moral foundations, suggesting that political ideology influences the emotional experience of moral violations. Overall, the study strengthens MFT's framework by demonstrating a neural basis for moral foundations and highlighting the role of political ideology in moral judgment.
