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The Editors at Communications Psychology invite submissions on the topic of moral cognition.
Change in perceived morality - or lack thereof - has aggravated writers for decades1 if not centuries. Unsurprisingly given the societal interest, how moral cognition affects human choices in multiple domains of behaviour is a longstanding and productive area of psychological research. Research on the topic covers topics such as the (cross-cultural) universality of moral beliefs; the developmental trajectory of moral cognition; the effect of perceived or actual differences on group behaviour; the role of moral language in the attention economy; its effect on nutrition and health related choices; moral cognition as an entry point to behavioural change; and finally, how moral cognition relates to human interaction with AI.
The Collection of research, review, and opinion content seeks to bring together work that explores moral cognition as a focal point for the vast range of human behaviour with which it has become associated. Authors interested in submitting narrative reviews or opinion content should contact the journal to discuss suitability.
1. Mastroianni, A.M., Gilbert, D.T. The illusion of moral decline. Nature618, 782–789 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06137-x
A double-blind placebo-controlled oxytocin self-administration study in which male and female players of an economic game modelling intergroup conflict had their testosterone levels monitored, revealed that interactions between oxytocin and testosterone vary by sex.
While committing to honesty via oath decreased dishonest behavior in 7 studies across the US, UK, and Mexico, Zickfeld et al found no evidence that the potential to benefit a partner increases dishonesty.
Untrustworthy conversation partners, people randomly assigned to lie in a conversation, and people who deceive more in their everyday lives report decreased social connection relative to honest actors.