Liane Young

In addition to using brain imaging, which helps us to track what brains are doing as people are making moral judgments, we've also used a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS for short, to temporarily disrupt activity in this particular brain region, the right temporoparietal junction, to see what effect that has on the moral judgments that people make.

In addition to using brain imaging, which helps us to track what brains are doing as people are making moral judgments, we've also used a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS for short, to temporarily disrupt activity in this particular brain region, the right temporoparietal junction, to see what effect that has on the moral judgments that people make.

And so when we temporarily disrupt activity in this brain region, we see that people's moral judgments rely less on information about intentions in these kinds of cases that we've been talking about. So to give you an example, if you are reading a story about somebody who tries to poison their friend but fails to do so because... They mistook the substance for poison, but it was in fact sugar.

And so when we temporarily disrupt activity in this brain region, we see that people's moral judgments rely less on information about intentions in these kinds of cases that we've been talking about. So to give you an example, if you are reading a story about somebody who tries to poison their friend but fails to do so because... They mistook the substance for poison, but it was in fact sugar.

And so when we temporarily disrupt activity in this brain region, we see that people's moral judgments rely less on information about intentions in these kinds of cases that we've been talking about. So to give you an example, if you are reading a story about somebody who tries to poison their friend but fails to do so because... They mistook the substance for poison, but it was in fact sugar.

If I am disrupting activity in your right temporal parietal junction, you will be more likely to say that that is more okay than if I didn't disrupt activity in your right temporal parietal junction.

If I am disrupting activity in your right temporal parietal junction, you will be more likely to say that that is more okay than if I didn't disrupt activity in your right temporal parietal junction.

If I am disrupting activity in your right temporal parietal junction, you will be more likely to say that that is more okay than if I didn't disrupt activity in your right temporal parietal junction.

I think a lot of us share the intuition that is confirmed by recent empirical work in psychology that how we think about moral situations or moral beliefs are really central to what we consider to be our identity. We take our moral identity as central to our self-concept. And so to think that scientific interventions can alter our moral judgments is in some ways upsetting.

I think a lot of us share the intuition that is confirmed by recent empirical work in psychology that how we think about moral situations or moral beliefs are really central to what we consider to be our identity. We take our moral identity as central to our self-concept. And so to think that scientific interventions can alter our moral judgments is in some ways upsetting.

I think a lot of us share the intuition that is confirmed by recent empirical work in psychology that how we think about moral situations or moral beliefs are really central to what we consider to be our identity. We take our moral identity as central to our self-concept. And so to think that scientific interventions can alter our moral judgments is in some ways upsetting.

That said, as neuroscientists, we've assumed all along that our moral judgments have some place in the brain. And so it stands to reason that when you disrupt activity in people's brains, that you will be disrupting the kinds of judgments that we'll be making too, including moral judgments. And there is so much work on the unconscious influences on behavior.

That said, as neuroscientists, we've assumed all along that our moral judgments have some place in the brain. And so it stands to reason that when you disrupt activity in people's brains, that you will be disrupting the kinds of judgments that we'll be making too, including moral judgments. And there is so much work on the unconscious influences on behavior.

That said, as neuroscientists, we've assumed all along that our moral judgments have some place in the brain. And so it stands to reason that when you disrupt activity in people's brains, that you will be disrupting the kinds of judgments that we'll be making too, including moral judgments. And there is so much work on the unconscious influences on behavior.

And so whether someone is in a rush to get somewhere can change or impact the likelihood of their stopping to give money to a homeless person. And so I think that there are environmental influences. There are cultural differences in the degree to which people rely on intention information.

And so whether someone is in a rush to get somewhere can change or impact the likelihood of their stopping to give money to a homeless person. And so I think that there are environmental influences. There are cultural differences in the degree to which people rely on intention information.

And so whether someone is in a rush to get somewhere can change or impact the likelihood of their stopping to give money to a homeless person. And so I think that there are environmental influences. There are cultural differences in the degree to which people rely on intention information.

And so in many ways, I'm not sure that I would be more upset by the fact that smelling fresh cookies is going to impact my behavior or, you know, somebody applying transcranial magnetic stimulation to my brain is going to impact my behavior or my decision making.

And so in many ways, I'm not sure that I would be more upset by the fact that smelling fresh cookies is going to impact my behavior or, you know, somebody applying transcranial magnetic stimulation to my brain is going to impact my behavior or my decision making.

And so in many ways, I'm not sure that I would be more upset by the fact that smelling fresh cookies is going to impact my behavior or, you know, somebody applying transcranial magnetic stimulation to my brain is going to impact my behavior or my decision making.