Treatments approved, boosts eschewed: Moral limits of neurotechnological enhancement

Mika Koverola, Anton Johannes Olavi Kunnari, Maria-Anna Drosinou, Jussi Petteri Palomäki, Ivar Hannikainen, Michaela Košová, Robin Kopecký, Jukka Sundvall, Michael Laakasuo

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

Abstract

In six vignette-based experiments, we assessed people's moral reactions towards various cognition-enhancing brain implants, including their overall approval and perceived fairness, as well as the dehumanization of brain-implanted agents. Across the domains of memory (Studies 1-4, 6), general intelligence (Study 5A), and emotional stability (Study 5B), people in general approved of alleviating ailments, and even of attaining optimal human performance, but expressed greater opposition towards superhuman levels of enhancement. Further analyses of individual differences indicated that the tendency to condemn transhumanist technologies, such as brain implants, was linked to sexual disgust sensitivity and the binding moral foundations - two characteristic correlates of a conservative worldview. In turn, exposure to science fiction was tied to greater approval of brain implants. We also examined potential idiosyncrasies associated with our stimulus materials and did not find reliable effects of any secondary factors on moral attitudes. Taken together, our studies reveal certain moral boundaries to neurotechnological enhancement, strong among those with conservative affective and moral dispositions but relaxed among those familiar with science fiction themes.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104351
JournalJournal of Experimental Social Psychology
Volume102
Number of pages21
ISSN0022-1031
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Fields of Science

  • Brain implant
  • Cognitive enhancement
  • DISGUST
  • DOMAINS
  • DRUGS
  • Dehumanization
  • ETHICS
  • FOUNDATIONS
  • INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES
  • JUDGMENTS
  • Moral foundations theory
  • SENSITIVITY
  • Sexual disgust
  • 5144 Social psychology
  • 6162 Cognitive science
  • 611 Philosophy

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