Question 1

From the studies of Koenigs et al. (2007) and Ciaramelli et al. (2007) what can be concluded about the moral reasoning of patients with brain damage to the orbito-frontal/ventro-medial PFC?

Accepted Answer

Patients with damage to the orbito-frontal/ventro-medial PFC tend to make more utilitarian moral judgments, as these areas are associated with processing emotions that typically influence moral decision-making.

Question 2

In the fMRI study of Moll et al. (2002) what results were found for images of moral violations relative to non-moral affective images?

Accepted Answer

Moll et al. (2002) found that images of moral violations elicited greater activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and the right posterior temporal region, indicating these areas are more engaged in processing moral violations compared to non-moral affective images.

Question 3

Nisbett & Cohen (1996) have studied the 'culture of honor'. What is meant by this term?

Accepted Answer

The 'culture of honor' refers to a societal norm where individuals feel compelled to respond with violence to defend their reputation or correct perceived slights or wrongdoings.

Question 4

On the Trolley and Footbridge Dilemmas what is the utilitarian judgment?

Accepted Answer

The utilitarian judgment, which focuses on maximizing overall happiness or minimizing overall suffering, would suggest always choosing the option that results in the fewest deaths, hence always killing one to save five, regardless of the scenario (Trolley or Footbridge).

Question 5

Social norms are typically divided into two types. What are they?

Accepted Answer

The two types of social norms are moral norms, which relate to issues of right and wrong, and conventional norms, which relate to social customs and expectations that govern behavior in particular situations. Option A is incorrect because individual and collective are not types of social norms, but rather refer to perspectives or perspectives that individuals can adopt. Option C is incorrect because psychological and physical norms are not recognized categories of social norms. Option D is incorrect because norms are not always linked to punishment or reward, as they can be internalized and enforced through social pressure and personal beliefs.

Question 6

The fMRI study of Finger et al. (2006) compared moral and conventional transgression with neutral scenarios in the (implied) presence/absence of onlookers. What results did they find in the lateral prefrontal cortex?

Accepted Answer

The lateral prefrontal cortex was activated for moral transgressions in both conditions (implied presence and absence of onlookers) but was only activated for conventional transgressions in the presence of onlookers, indicating a nuanced neural response to social context and the nature of the transgression.

Question 7

The Footbridge Dilemma is an example of what kind of scenario?

Accepted Answer

The Footbridge Dilemma is a personal scenario because it involves a direct, personal action that affects another individual, such as pushing a person off a bridge to stop a trolley and save others.

Question 8

The lifestory of Temple Grandin (1995) offers a personal insight into what?

Accepted Answer

Temple Grandin's lifestory offers a personal insight into living with autism.

Question 9

The low activity (L) variant of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene is linked to:

Accepted Answer

The low activity (L) variant of the MAOA gene is often referred to as the "warrior gene" because it has been linked to increased levels of aggression and violent behavior. Studies have suggested that individuals with this gene variant are more likely to engage in aggressive behavior when provoked, particularly in response to provocation or environmental stressors.

Quiz 10: Morality and Anti-Social Behaviour