THE DEVELOping moral values LAB
Research Projects
People
Publications
Research Projects
In the Developing Moral Values Lab, we aim to discover how morality is shaped during childhood and into adulthood.
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 and adults and with children between the ages of 5 and 10. Some of the issues we are currently investigating include:
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The boundaries of moral circles
What kinds of entities and objects do people include within their circles of moral regard, and why?
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Evaluations of belief change
To what extent do children and adults believe that it is morally good to change your mind, even if it conflicts with partisanship?
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Assessments of moral character
What does it take to consider somebody else as a good person, and what happens if they temporarily lapse?
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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.