Work

Experiencing Physical Pain Leads to More Sympathetic Moral Judgments

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Previous studies have shown that observing another's pain can evoke other-oriented emotions, which instigate empathic concern for another's needs. It is not clear whether experiencing first-hand physical pain may also evoke other-oriented emotion and thus influence people's moral judgment. Based on the embodied simulation literature and neuroimaging evidence, the present research tested the idea that participants who experienced physical pain would be more sympathetic in their moral judgments. Study 1 showed that ice-induced physical pain facilitated higher self-assessments of empathy, which motivated participants to be more sympathetic in their moral judgments. Study 2 confirmed findings in study 1 and also showed that State Perspective Taking subscale of the State Empathy Scale mediated the effects of physical pain on moral judgment. These results provide support for embodied view of morality and for the view that pain can serve a positive psychosocial function.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140580

Authors: Qianguo Xiao, Yi Zhu, Wen-bo Luo

Institutions: Inner Mongolia Normal University, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Liaoning Normal University

Language: English

Topic: Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,382