36L
Moral values vary considerably across individuals, groups, countries, and cultures. What explains the emergence of these differential moral systems? What psychological processes are involved in moral decisions and actions? How might insights from psychological research shed light on contemporary, ‘hot-button’ moral issues? How are moral decisions similar to – and different from – other types of everyday decisions? What is the role of emotion in moral decision making? As an introduction to the field of moral psychology, this 300-level course will cover research from a range of sub-disciplines within psychology including social-personality psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and developmental psychology. In addition, students will gain exposure to related material in other fields including philosophy, ethology, and economics. Students will gain a firm understanding of the key debates and issues in the study of the moral mind and will gain skills in critical thinking and writing.