Moral Intuitionism Flashcards
What is the main idea of Moral Intuitionism?
Moral judgements come from gut feelings (intuition) first, and reasoning happens afterward to justify them.
How does Moral Intuitionism challenge traditional moral psychology?
It opposes rationalist models (Kohlberg, Piaget) which say we reason our way to moral conclusions.
What does the traditional Rationalist Model (Kohlberg, Piaget) say?
Morality is based on logical reasoning and develops through stages.
What is the moral dumbfounding study by Haidt, Bjorklund & Murphy (2000)?
Study; Participants were given moral dilemma scenarios (e.g., consensual incest, eating a human corpse). Most people immediately judged these acts as wrong but struggled to explain why. Even when their reasoning was refuted, they still insisted it was wrong.
What is Moral Dumbfounding (Haidt, Bjorklund & Murphy, 2000)?
People insist something is wrong (e.g., incest, eating human flesh) but struggle to justify why. Intuition drives moral judgments, not logic.
What is the key finding of Haidt, Bjorklund & Murphy (2000) regarding moral dumbfounding?
Intuition comes first, reasoning comes second. People justify moral beliefs after the fact, rather than using logic to form them. Importance: Challenges rationalist model (e.g., Kohlberg) that suggest moral reasoning drives judgments.
What is Haidt’s ‘Rider and Elephant’ metaphor?
🐘 Elephant = Intuition (fast, emotional, automatic). 👤 Rider = Reasoning (slow, logical, but mostly justifies intuition).
Example: You instinctively dislike incest (elephant), then create a reason to justify it (rider).
What does the Social Intuitionist Model (Haidt, 2001) say?
Moral judgements are automatic (intuition-based) and reasoning is just a justification.
What are the six steps of moral judgment in the Social Intuitionist Model?
- Intuitive Judgement
- Post-Hoc Reasoning
- Reasoned Persuasion
- Social Persuasion
- Reasoned Judgement
- Private Reflection
Social Intuitionist Model - Intuitive Judgment?
What happens= Gut feeling comes first. Example: ‘This feels wrong!’
The Social Intuitionist Model - Post-Hoc Reasoning?
What happens = brain tries to justify it. Example = “Because it’s unnatural.”
Example: ‘Because it’s unnatural.’
The Social Intuitionist Model - Reasoned Persuasion?
What happens = we try to convince others. Example = “It’s against human nature!”
The Social Intuitionist Model - Social Persuasion?
What happens = other people’s views influence us. Example = “Most people agree it’s bad.”
The Social Intuitionist Model - Reasoned Judgement?
What happens = we re-evaluate if needed. Example = “Maybe I was too harsh.”
The Social Intuitionist Model - Private Reflection?
What happens = rarely, we change our minds
Example = “I see it differently now.”
What are key studies supporting Moral Intuitionism?
- Moral Dumbfounding (Haidt, Bjorklund & Murphy, 2000)
- The Hypnotic Disgust Study (Wheatley & Haidt, 2005)
- Social Persuasion and Moral Judgment (Haidt, 2001)
What is Social Persuasion and Moral Judgment (Haidt, 2001)?
People change their moral views based on social persuasion, not logical arguments. Morality is shaped by group norms, not just reasoning.
What is The Hypnotic Disgust Study (Wheatley & Haidt, 2005)?
They rated actions as more immoral when disgust trigger words were present—even if the act was harmless. Moral judgments are influenced by emotions like disgust.
What was the study on the effect of hypnotic disgust on moral judgments?
(Wheatley & Haidt, 2005) Participants were hypnotised to feel disgust when hearing specific words (e.g., ‘take,’ ‘often’). They then read moral scenarios, some of which included those words. When the trigger words appeared, participants judged the act as more immoral.
What are the key findings of the study on hypnotic disgust?
Disgust influences moral judgement, even when irrelevant to the act. Supports emotion-based morality rather than rationalist morality. IMPORTANCE; Shows gut feelings impact moral decisions
Intuitions come first: evidence
- Our bodies guide our judgements (Zhong)
- Psychopaths reason but don’t feel (Hare, 1996)
- Brains evaluate instantly and constantly (Wundt, Zajonc)
Strategic reasoning comes second: evidence
- We are obsessed with polls (Leary, 2005)
- In-house press secretary
- Comfirmation bias
How does Moral Intuitionism differ from Rationalism?
Rationalism (Kohlberg, Piaget) = morality is based on logical reasoning. E.g. Heinz dilemma, weighing pros and cons. Intuitionism (Haidt, 2001) = morality is automatic and emotional.
What are challenges to Moral Intuitionism?
- Paul Bloom (2010) - ‘Morals Can Change’
- Dual Process Model (Paxton & Greene, 2010)
What is Paul Bloom’s (2010) argument on ‘Morals Can Change’?
Reasoning is still important - it has helped societies change moral beliefs. Example: abolishing slavery.
What is the Dual Process Model (Paxton & Greene, 2010)?
Both intuition and reasoning shape moral decisions, especially in complex moral issues.
What is the challenges counterargument to Moral Intuitionism?
Haidt agrees reasoning matters, but mainly when influenced by social pressures.
What are the main takeaways of Moral Intuitionism?
- Moral judgement comes from intuition first, reasoning second.
- Emotions (e.g., disgust) strongly influence moral beliefs.
- Social influence shapes morality more than logic does.
What is Haidt’s quote (2012) on moral thinking?
‘Our moral thinking is much more like a politician searching for votes than a scientist searching for truth.’
Essay Theories
- Moral intuition vs. reasoning = Haidt, Bjorklund & Murphy (2000) - Moral Dumbfounding
- Emotion in moral judgment = Wheatley & Haidt (2005) - Hypnotic Disgust
- Social influence in morality = Haidt (2001) - Social Intuitionist Model
- Disgust and moral purity = Wheatley & Haidt (2005) - Disgust Study
