High Moral Reasoning Linked to Brain’s Reward System

High Moral Reasoning Linked to Brain’s Reward System

An international team of scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania along with researchers from Shanghai and Berlin, has shown that high moral reasoning is associated with increased activity in a key part of the brain’s reward system. In other words, our brain activity reflects how morally developed we are. Of course, no one knows which causes which, it does, however, suggest that practicing certain kinds of moral thinking could affect brain function. The goal is to help researchers understand why people with highly developed moral reasoning are often more prone to engage in prosocial behaviors. This research suggests that they may experience greater feelings of reward when they do.

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