Submission Type
Event
Expected Graduation Date
2015
Location
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
Start Date
4-18-2015 2:00 PM
End Date
4-18-2015 3:00 PM
Disciplines
Psychology
Abstract
A sense of morality, values predisposing right (fair, just, kind) from wrong (unfair, cruel, dishonest) appears universally across all humankind (Kinnier, Kernes & Dautheribes, 2000). But where does morality come from? Is it uniquely human or do we share some moral values with nonhuman animals? To explore these questions domestic dogs—nonhumans with exceptional social cognitive skills—were tested for moral values through a replication of a study on moral reasoning in human infants (Hamlin & Wynn, 2011). Dogs watched a puppet show with a moral (helpful) and immoral (hinderer) actor. Dogs looked longer when the neutral puppet chose to associate with the moral helper than the immoral hinderer, demonstrating that dogs, like human infants, prefer agents associate with moral helpers. This preliminary study suggests morality may be an evolved trait shared by humans and nonhumans alike.
Included in
Moral Reasoning in Dogs
Center for Natural Sciences, Illinois Wesleyan University
A sense of morality, values predisposing right (fair, just, kind) from wrong (unfair, cruel, dishonest) appears universally across all humankind (Kinnier, Kernes & Dautheribes, 2000). But where does morality come from? Is it uniquely human or do we share some moral values with nonhuman animals? To explore these questions domestic dogs—nonhumans with exceptional social cognitive skills—were tested for moral values through a replication of a study on moral reasoning in human infants (Hamlin & Wynn, 2011). Dogs watched a puppet show with a moral (helpful) and immoral (hinderer) actor. Dogs looked longer when the neutral puppet chose to associate with the moral helper than the immoral hinderer, demonstrating that dogs, like human infants, prefer agents associate with moral helpers. This preliminary study suggests morality may be an evolved trait shared by humans and nonhumans alike.