Understanding How We Process Moral Information in Stories
Author Information
Author(s): Fionnuala C. Murphy, Gemma Wilde, Neil Ogden, Philip J. Barnard, Andrew J. Calder
Primary Institution: Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK
Hypothesis
Do readers form mental models that include moral dimensions during narrative comprehension?
Conclusion
Readers take longer to read sentences that describe immoral outcomes compared to moral ones, indicating efficient coding of moral information.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants took significantly longer to read immoral than moral target sentences.
- The effect of cognitive load did not interact with the reading times for moral and immoral sentences.
- Readers form mental models that include moral dimensions without explicit intention.
Takeaway
When we read stories, we quickly understand the moral parts, and it doesn't take a lot of thinking to do so.
Methodology
Participants read stories with moral and immoral endings while their reading times were measured under different cognitive load conditions.
Limitations
The study did not explore the content of moral processing or whether it is under conscious control.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 72 adults, primarily English speakers, with a balanced gender ratio.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .004
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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