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Moral Cognition and Moral Emotions

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Neuroscience and Social Science

Abstract

Moral cognition, a central aspect of human social functioning, involves complex interactions between emotion and reasoning to tell right from wrong. In this chapter, we summarize the cognitive neuroscience literature on moral cognition and moral emotions, highlighting their close relationship with other social cognition domains. We consider neuroimaging research and behavioral/neuropsychological evidence of moral impairments in patients with psychiatric and neurological conditions. We also describe cognitive neuroscience models claiming that moral cognition processes are shaped by the encompassing social context. These views emphasize how cultural and context-dependent knowledge, as well as motivational states, can be integrated to explain complex aspects of human moral cognition. Finally, we address real-life social scenarios on which available studies could make a direct impact. More generally, we analyze the extent to which moral cognition research can help to understand human social behavior and complex social-moral circumstances.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by grants from CONICET and the INECO Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Grupo de Investigación Cerebro y Cognición Social, Bogotá, Colombia

    Sandra Baez & Hernando Santamaría-García

  2. Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia

    Sandra Baez

  3. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology & Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO) & CONICET, Favaloro University, Pacheco de Melo 1860, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Sandra Baez, Adolfo M. García & Hernando Santamaría-García

  4. National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Sandra Baez, Adolfo M. García & Hernando Santamaría-García

  5. Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina

    Adolfo M. García

  6. Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia

    Hernando Santamaría-García

  7. Centro de Memoria y Cognición Intellectus, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia

    Hernando Santamaría-García

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  1. Sandra Baez
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  2. Adolfo M. García
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  3. Hernando Santamaría-García
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Correspondence to Sandra Baez or Hernando Santamaría-García .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT) INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Agustín Ibáñez

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT) INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Lucas Sedeño

  3. Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT) INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Adolfo M. García

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Baez, S., García, A.M., Santamaría-García, H. (2017). Moral Cognition and Moral Emotions. In: Ibáñez, A., Sedeño, L., García, A. (eds) Neuroscience and Social Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68421-5_8

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