Journal article
Moral Framing and Mechanisms Influence Public Willingness to Optimize Cognition
Journal of cognitive enhancement, v 5(2), pp 176-187
01 Jun 2021
Abstract
Scientists, clinicians, and the public aim to optimize cognition using numerous techniques. While drugs and education have become mainstays in the public and professional practice, brain stimulation is rapidly emerging. The public reports some concerns about brain stimulation used to optimize cognition. In our prior work using hypothetical vignettes involving brain stimulation, the moral acceptability of specific uses was only somewhat related to the public's willingness to administer brain stimulation to influence a given cognitive function. Notably, whether the moral framing influences willingness to optimize cognition with various mechanisms is unknown. Here, we randomly assigned subjects to one of four mechanism vignette conditions: education, drugs, invasive brain stimulation, and noninvasive brain stimulation. Within each mechanism, subjects were assigned to think morally either before or after reporting their willingness to optimize specific cognitive functions in others. Across 1328 subjects, we found that thinking morally reduced the public's willingness to optimize cognition overall. Moreover, willingness decreased the most in invasive and noninvasive brain stimulation. Encouraging moral reasoning uniquely reduces openness to using brain stimulation among other ways to optimize cognition. Studying how specific moral concerns drive public hesitancy about brain stimulation could suggest avenues for education and ethical discourse.
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Details
- Title
- Moral Framing and Mechanisms Influence Public Willingness to Optimize Cognition
- Creators
- Madeline Haslam - Washington CollegeDavid Yaden - University of PennsylvaniaJohn D. Medaglia - University of Pennsylvania
- Publication Details
- Journal of cognitive enhancement, v 5(2), pp 176-187
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- Perelman School of Medicine 1-DP5-OD-021352-01; R01-DC01496001; R01-AG-059763-01; R01-DC-16800-01A1 / National Institute of Mental Health; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Office of the Director at the National Institutes of Health
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences (Psychology)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000647086700004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85169084574
- Other Identifier
- 991019168116704721
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Neurosciences