Moral Psychology

New research explores how our brains react to seeing others in pain. The findings reveal that a person's physical attractiveness and moral history alter our empathy levels, shifting how our minds process compassion in fractions of a second.

Using genetic data from thousands of twins, researchers have challenged a long-held psychological theory. They found little evidence that resting heart rate causes antisocial behavior, pointing instead to sensation seeking as a key target for behavioral therapies.

A new study in Nature Human Behaviour reveals that 61 percent of people are willing to screen embryos for non-medical traits. When making concrete choices, participants avoided statistical risks for low IQ just as strongly as heart disease.

Alcohol can create a deceptive gap in our social skills. A new study shows that while a few beers might not impair emotion recognition, they can lower your willingness to help others in distress.

People may be more willing to help strangers who seem agreeable and conscientious, partly because these traits make the person more likeable, according to research published in Evolutionary Psychological Science.

Does making a behavior illegal actually make it immoral? According to new research, yes. Simply labeling an action as illegal makes people judge it as more morally wrong even if the law was broken accidentally.

People all over the world consider morality a part of who they are. A large new study explores how age, gender, and cultural background shape whether individuals view their moral traits as a private compass or a public identity.

When someone is rude, how we judge them depends heavily on who started it. A new study finds that people view retaliatory rudeness as more justifiable and virtuous than unprovoked rudeness, though polite responses are still preferred overall.

Belief in karma can lead people to view social inequality as fair, but it also motivates charitable giving. New research reveals that focusing on karma increases generosity, but mostly toward individuals who suffer through no fault of their own.

A massive analysis of Swedish population records reveals that people with higher cognitive abilities are more likely to vote, donate to charity, and buy eco-friendly vehicles, suggesting general intelligence directly influences actions that benefit society.

A new analysis of popular music over the last six decades reveals that song lyrics have grown increasingly focused on negative moral concepts like harm and rebellion, while expressions of virtues like care and purity have steadily declined.

Are you curious, or do you crave stability? A new psychological study of over 80,000 people reveals that looking at highly specific personal values can accurately predict a person's age.

What do narcissists and psychopaths actually value in life? A new meta-analysis reveals that people with "Dark Triad" personality traits are driven heavily by a desire for personal power and stimulation, while showing a strong aversion to helping others.

People consistently assume that others are much more likely to lie and cheat than they actually are. Research in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that providing accurate information about honesty levels improves overall social trust.