Low Levels of Empathic Concern Predict Utilitarian Moral Judgment

TLDR

Moral dilemmas pit utilitarian calculations of maximizing aggregate welfare against emotional aversion to harming individuals. The study investigates which aspect of emotional response influences moral judgments and whether it is selectively diminished in utilitarians or heightened in non‑utilitarians. Results show that utilitarian moral judgments are associated with reduced empathic concern, indicating diminished feelings of warmth and compassion toward those in distress.

Abstract

Is it permissible to harm one to save many? Classic moral dilemmas are often defined by the conflict between a putatively rational response to maximize aggregate welfare (i.e., the utilitarian judgment) and an emotional aversion to harm (i.e., the non-utilitarian judgment). Here, we address two questions. First, what specific aspect of emotional responding is relevant for these judgments? Second, is this aspect of emotional responding selectively reduced in utilitarians or enhanced in non-utilitarians? The results reveal a key relationship between moral judgment and empathic concern in particular (i.e., feelings of warmth and compassion in response to someone in distress). Utilitarian participants showed significantly reduced empathic concern on an independent empathy measure. These findings therefore reveal diminished empathic concern in utilitarian moral judges.