title: Evaluation of the legal consequences of action affects neural activity and emotional experience during the resolution of moral dilemmas.
abstract: In any modern society killing is regarded as a severe violation of the legal codes that is subjected to penal judgment. Therefore, it is likely that people take legal consequences into account when deciding about the hypothetical killing of one person in classic moral dilemmas, with legal concerns contributing to decision-making. In particular, by differing for the degree of intentionality and emotional salience, Footbridge- and Trolley-type dilemmas might promote differential assignment of blame and punishment while implicating the same severity of harm. The present study was aimed at comparing the neural activity, subjective emotional reactions, and behavioral choices in two groups of participants who either took (Legal group) or did not take (No Legal group) legal consequences into account when deciding on Footbridge-type and Trolley-type moral dilemmas. Stimulus- and response-locked ERPs were measured to investigate the neural activity underlying two separate phases of the decision process. No difference in behavioral choices was found between groups. However, the No Legal group reported greater overall emotional impact, associated with lower preparation for action, suggesting greater conflict between alternative motor responses representing the different decision choices. In contrast, the Legal group showed an overall dampened affective experience during decision-making associated with greater overall action readiness and intention to act, reflecting lower conflict in responding. On these bases, we suggest that in moral dilemmas legal consequences of actions provide a sort of reference point on which people can rely to support a decision, independent of dilemma type.
authors: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors: Carolina
authors: C
authors: Pletti
authors: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. Electronic address: michela.sarlo@unipd.it.
authors: Michela
authors: M
authors: Sarlo
authors: Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Palomba
authors: Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors: Rino
authors: R
authors: Rumiati
authors: Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors: Lorella
authors: L
authors: Lotto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D007603:Jurisprudence; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Emotion; Event-related potentials; Legal decision-making; Moral dilemmas; Readiness potential