THE DEVELOping moral values LAB
Research Projects
People
Publications
Research Projects
In the Developing Moral Values Lab, we aim to discover how values are shaped during childhood.
Our moral values define us, unite us, and give meaning to our lives. Gaining a scientific understanding of how these values are acquired provides a powerful vantage point from which to make informed decisions about how to facilitate a better future. In order to contribute to this emerging understanding of the inner workings of our moral minds, the Developing Moral Values Lab conducts a range of studies with adults and with children between the ages of 5 and 9. Some of the issues we are currently investigating include:
> the morals of a story
To what extent are children influenced by moral lessons that are conveyed in storybooks?
> SELECTIVE trust in moral advisors
What kinds of people do children tend to trust when they are being taught morally-relevant information?
> THE ORIGINS OF DISGUST
How and when does the emotion of disgust emerge in childhood, and is this intertwined with morality?
> the roots of environmental ethics
Why do some people care deeply about the planet, while others believe that humans can exploit nature?
people
JOSHUA ROTTMAN, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
[F&M faculty profile]
[C.V.]
Nithya Ramaswamy
Nithya is a senior from Bangalore, India and is majoring in psychology and minoring and economics. She is in the Harbaugh Club and is also a tutor in the Q&SC. A fun fact about Nithya is that she thinks goats are the most frightening species.
Sky coble
Sky is a junior from Bainbridge, Pennsylvania with a psychology major and a spanish minor. Sky is a Writing Center tutor, a Squash ACES mentor, and a member of the F&M Dance Company. In her free time Sky enjoys reading and baking.
Caitlin Geller
Caitlin is a junior from Armonk, New York majoring in psychology and minoring in english. In addition to serving as the lab manager, Caitlin is involved in sorority life and the ultimate frisbee team.
Zoe Favilla
Zoe is a junior from Scarsdale, NY double majoring in psychology and public health. On campus, she is a Team Lead for the Diplomat Corps Tour Guide program, is the Women's Club Soccer Team Social Chair & Web Editor, and is involved in Hillel and Knittervention.
Raluca rilla
Raluca is a junior from Bucharest, Romania majoring in cognitive science and psychology. On campus Raluca is a Writing Center Tutor, the International Student Advisory Board Co-president, a Fellow Advising Mentor, and is involved in the Philosophy in High Schools Program
Lauren chen
Lauren is a junior from Moorestown, NJ. She is Neuroscience Major and Sociology Minor, and aspires to become a pediatrician. Outside of the classroom, she is a member of the Women’s Golf team, a violinist in F&M’s Orchestra, and Co-President of the Spoon University club. Lauren also enjoys traveling, playing the guitar, and loves to bake!
Julia Weber
Julia Weber is a junior from Irvington, New York and is majoring in psychology and minoring in Spanish. On campus, she is a member of Alpha Delta Pi, a Jewish Engagement Fellow with Hillel, and a First-Year Advising Mentor. As an Asian adoptee adopted by a single Jewish mother, she is deeply interested in understanding the foundation and continued development of moral values, particularly in children. Additionally, she finds it important to share such findings with others.
Maritza Marquez
Maritza is a junior from Houston, TX and is a double major in women's, gender, and sexuality studies (WGSS) and psychology. On campus she serves on executive boards of Phi Sigma Pi, First Generation Diplomats, Catastrophic Relief Alliance, and the Alice Drum Women's Center. Maritza is a Peer Health Educator for the Student Wellness Education and Violence Prevention Office and a student worker for the Alice Drum Women's Center.
Kat Gunther
Kat is a junior from Tampa, Florida majoring in neuroscience and minoring in psychology. She is on the Varsity Softball Team, a First Year Advising Mentor, and a Rotartact member.
Mary Fouad
Mary is a sophomore from New Jersey pursuing a major in moral psychology and a minor in anthropology. On campus she is the Diversity Outreach Chair for the Mindfulness Club, and is involved in S.I.S.T.E.R.S and Unleashed. A fun fact about Mary is that she lived in Egypt for 10 years.
Sara Silverman
Sara is a first-year from Millburn, New Jersey who is intending to major in psychology on the pre-health track. She is the Vice President of Colleges Against Cancer, Kappa Delta, Hillel, F&M Unleashed, Rotaract Club, and Women and Gender Minorities in STEM Club.
Jayda cole
Jayda is a first-year from York, Pennsylvania intending to major in cognitive science and minor in medicine in society. Jayda is excited to join the lab as she is interested in family dynamics and childhood, and the consequential impact on adulthood.
Laura Mendoza
Laura is a first-year from Miami, Florida intending to major in psychology and minor in women's, gender, and sexuality studies. On campus, Laura is a POSSE scholar and a member of S.I.S.T.E.R.S and Mi Gente Latina.
Justin Lanzilotti
Justin is a first-year from Mt. Kisco, New York intending to major in cognitive science and philosophy. On campus, Justin is involved in the music program, both in group and individual instrument performance.
Joshua Kisilevich
Joshua is a first-year from Ridgewood, New Jersey intending to major in psychology. On campus, Joshua is the treasurer of the table tennis club and is involved in Hillel. A fun fact about him is that he has never broken a bone!
Colleen Boggs
Colleen is a rising senior at Wellesley College from Shillington, PA, majoring in psychology. She is a member of her college radio station (WZLY) and is a psychology Teaching Assistant. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her big family, thrift shopping, and being in nature.
PUBLICATIONS
A few sample publications are below. The asterisks signify undergraduate coauthors. For a complete list, please visit Prof. Rottman's faculty page or his personal website.
{PDF} White, C. J. M., Schaller, M., Abraham, E.*, & Rottman, J. (2022). Navigating between punishment, avoidance, and instruction: The form and function of responses to moral violations varies across adult and child transgressors. Cognition, 223, 105048.
{PDF} Lerner, M.*, & Rottman, J. (2021). The burden of climate action: How environmental responsibility is impacted by socioeconomic status. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 77, 101674.
{PDF} Rottman, J., Crimston, C. R., & Syropoulos, S.* (2021). Tree-huggers versus human-lovers: Anthropomorphism and dehumanization predict valuing nature over outgroups. Cognitive Science, 45(4), e12967.
{PDF} Rottman, J., Zizik, V.*, Minard, K.*, Young, L., Blake, P. R., & Kelemen, D. (2020). The moral, or the story? Changing children’s distributive justice preferences through social communication. Cognition, 205, 104441.
{PDF} Rottman, J., Johnston, A. M., Bierhoff, S.*, Pelletier, T.*, Grigoreva, A. D.*, & Benitez, J.* (2020). In sickness and in filth: Developing a disdain for dirty people. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 196, 104858.
Lab alumni
Alexander Moog '16, Independent Study Student
Ashley Christopherson '16, Student Coordinator
Zachary Walden '16, Student Coordinator
Rebecca Branovan '17, Independent Study Student
Sydney Bierhoff '18, Hackman Summer Scholar 2016
Taisha Pelletier '18, Hackman Summer Scholar 2016
Leslie Botey '18, Research Assistant
Caroline Lawrence '18, Research Assistant
Tess Flanagan '18, Independent Study Student
Heather Greenebaum '18, Hackman Summer Scholar 2017
Ipeknaz Erel '18,
Ipeknaz Erel '18,
Josie Benitez '18, Independent Study Student
Stylianos Syropoulos '18, Hackman Summer Scholar 2017
and Independent Study Student
Rachel Gerb '19, Research Assistant
Xinjie (Adele) Zhao '19, Research Assistant
Chandrakant Dhanraj '20, APA SUPRE Scholar 2017
Prsni Patel '19, Directed Study Student
Julianna Lynch '19, Research Assistant, Brookshire Award Recipient
Valerie Zizik '19, Research Assistant, Hackman Summer Scholar 2018
Liz Abraham '20, Directed Study Student
Anastasiia Grigoreva '20, Lab Manager