title: Moral elevation can induce nursing.
abstract: There is little extant research on the psychological or physiological response to witnessing good deeds. The authors call the emotional reaction to virtue "moral elevation" and the authors examined its effects on mother-infant dyads. Breastfeeding women who watched a morally elevating video were more likely to nurse their infants and were marginally more likely to hug them, compared to women who watched an equally enjoyable comedy video. Both of these effects suggest that moral elevation may involve the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with lactation and affiliation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, 102 Gilmer Hall, PO Box 400400, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4400, USA. jas2222@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Silvers
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haidt
mesh_terms: D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D028681:Moral Obligations; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009042:Motivation; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000502:physiology; D014741:Video Recording
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin