Abstract
In this article, we argue that when making moral decisions, unconscious
thought can lead to more utilitarian moral decisions (approving of harmful
actions that maximize good consequences), compared to conscious
thought and immediate decision making. Therefore, we presented participants
with a complex version of the well-known footbridge dilemma. In
immediate decision conditions, participants made decisions what to do in
this dilemma immediately. In conscious thought conditions, participants
consciously thought about what to do for 3 minutes and then made their
decisions. In unconscious thought conditions, participants were distracted
for 3 minutes, and next made their decisions. As expected, participants
who thought unconsciously about the dilemma were more willing to make
utilitarian decisions than participants who thought consciously or who
made an immediate decision. The current findings provide a new perspective
on the social psychology of moral decision making and further insight
into unconscious thinking.
Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
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Pages (from-to) | 74-83 |
Number of pages | 10 |
Journal | Social Cognition |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Keywords
- Psychologie (PSYC)