How Imagination and Memory Shape the Moral Mind. 2023

Brendan Bo O'Connor, and Zoë Fowler
University at Albany, State University of New York, USA.

Interdisciplinary research has proposed a multifaceted view of human cognition and morality, establishing that inputs from multiple cognitive and affective processes guide moral decisions. However, extant work on moral cognition has largely overlooked the contributions of episodic representation. The ability to remember or imagine a specific moment in time plays a broadly influential role in cognition and behavior. Yet, existing research has only begun exploring the influence of episodic representation on moral cognition. Here, we evaluate the theoretical connections between episodic representation and moral cognition, review emerging empirical work revealing how episodic representation affects moral decision-making, and conclude by highlighting gaps in the literature and open questions. We argue that a comprehensive model of moral cognition will require including the episodic memory system, further delineating its direct influence on moral thought, and better understanding its interactions with other mental processes to fundamentally shape our sense of right and wrong.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007092 Imagination A new pattern of perceptual or ideational material derived from past experience. Imaginations
D009014 Morals Standards of conduct that distinguish right from wrong. Morality
D011939 Mental Recall The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited. Recall, Mental
D003071 Cognition Intellectual or mental process whereby an organism obtains knowledge. Cognitive Function,Cognitions,Cognitive Functions,Function, Cognitive,Functions, Cognitive
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D061212 Memory, Episodic Type of declarative memory, consisting of personal memory in contrast to general knowledge. Episodic Memory,Autobiographical Memory,Memory, Prospective,Prospective Memory,Autobiographical Memories,Episodic Memories,Memories, Autobiographical,Memories, Episodic,Memories, Prospective,Memory, Autobiographical,Prospective Memories

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