Are we born with a moral core? The Baby Lab says 'yes'

[rug]

By Susan Chun, CNN
updated 9:40 PM EST, Fri February 14, 2014

New Haven, Connecticut (CNN) -- It is one of life's biggest questions: Are we born knowing the difference between good and evil? Or are we taught our moral beliefs by parents and society?

Philosophers and psychologists have long believed that babies are born "blank slates," and that it is the role of parents and society to teach babies the difference between right and wrong; good and bad; mean and nice.

But a growing number of researchers now believe differently. They believe babies are in fact born with an innate sense of morality, and while parents and society can help develop a belief system in babies, they don't create one. A team of researchers at Yale University's Infant Cognition Center, known as The Baby Lab, showed us just how they came to that conclusion.

Dr. Karen Wynn runs the Baby Lab, and she and her team have been studying the minds and behaviors of babies for decades. About eight years ago they began running a series of studies on babies under 24 months to see how much these babies understand about good and bad behavior.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/12/us/baby-lab-morals-ac360/

4:14 video at link.

http://www.yale.edu/infantlab/Welcome.html

[elleng]

1. Good and evil,

or right and wrong/good and bad? 'Evil' is a pretty 'heavy' concept.

[rug]

2. A very important distinction.

Fortunately most of life concerns simply discriminating between good and bad.

[elleng]

3. Yes.

I've got one new grandbaby, and getting another, so maybe I'll test them???!!!!

[rug]

4. That would be evil.

[elleng]

5. OK, NIX that idea!!!

[demigoddess]

6. I have a severely retarded daughter on the level of a one year old

you really can't teach her concepts or intangible things, but all by herself she feels/knows that babies are precious and you take care of them and are gentle with them. I sometimes wonder if we are born kind or mean.

[rug]

7. She sounds like a wonderful person.

[demigoddess]

8. she is.

She was actually very patient when I had to take care of her younger siblings. Very happy to wait her turn etc.
most of these kids that I have known are the kindest people.

[Brettongarcia]

9. An innate moral sense does not necessarily support Religion, per se

It suggests that ALL of us, even the non-religious, are born with some kind of pre-religious moral sense.

And if moral sense comes BEFORE religion, then it is separable from it. Or in any rate, not dependent on it.

Likely therefore, atheists can be moral; particularly if they are coming from morality's deeper, pre-Christian root.

At their best, atheists are responding to the more natural morality that even babies have.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. as in it undermines religious claims and argues that it has an evolutionary origin

also see experiments testing ethical behavior in non humans.

[cbayer]

10. I've seen some videos from this lab and they are pretty impressive.

Their studies are well designed. I anticipate more fascinating findings from them in the future.

[Brettongarcia]

11. I agree results look interesting. Worries about methodology though: "cues" from mothers, etc.?

[cbayer]

12. From what I have see, they are pretty meticulous about controlling variables.

I watched some of the experiments (I think it was on either Nova or 60 minutes) and was pretty impressed.

In general, I am quite skeptical about studies done with infants, but this looks like some good stuff.

[LeftishBrit]

14. This group is very well-respected, and generally does sound research...

I think one could nitpick a bit about whether this represents a 'moral' sense in the strict sense, or is more about 'whom can I trust?' As very young children are very vulnerable, it makes sense that it would be important for them to realize who is more likely to help or harm them.

Interesting results in any case. It is often said that 'children are good judges of character'; but this is one of the few times when it's been tested empirically.

[cbayer]

15. That's a good point.

They overwhelming choose the nice, helpful bunny and not the mean one.

I'm not sure this represents morality as it does who is safest. Morality would indicate something more objective a sense of safety would.