Post-conventional moral reasoning is associated with increased ventral striatal activity at rest and during task.

ABSTRACT: People vary considerably in moral reasoning. According to Kohlberg's theory, individuals who reach the highest level of post-conventional moral reasoning judge moral issues based on deeper principles and shared ideals rather than self-interest or adherence to laws and rules. Recent research has suggested the involvement of the brain's frontostriatal reward system in moral judgments and prosocial behaviors. However, it remains unknown whether moral reasoning level is associated with differences in reward system function. Here, we combined arterial spin labeling perfusion and blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging and measured frontostriatal reward system activity both at rest and during a sequential risky decision making task in a sample of 64 participants at dif

SUBMITTER: Fang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5541100 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature