Chelsea Schein

Understanding Moral Cognition

In my research, I use methods of social cognition to explore the underlying structure of moral judgments. More specifically, I look at how people form moral judgments, how emotions play a role in these judgments, and how moral judgments impact our perceptions of the world. My research suggests that at the heart of moral cognition is a harm based template of intentional agent + causing damage + suffering victim. This template guides our moral judgments, and also shapes perceptions. As soon as an act enters the moral sphere, our perceptions of reality are filtered through a harm shaped lens, making “harmless” moral violations theoretically possible, though psychologically rare.

Understanding and Navigating Political Polarization

In an era of fraught political debates, it might seem like there is an insurmountable divide between liberals and conservatives. One predominant model of morality suggests that moral differences in specific moral issues (e.g. same-sex marriage) reflect fundamental differences in our underlying moral psychology. In contrast, my research suggests that despite descriptive moral diversity, liberals and conservatives share a common moral template centered around harm. I am currently exploring whether appeals to this common denominator of harm can increase political tolerance.

Past Courses

• LGST100 - Ethics and Social Responsibility

  This course explores business responsibility from rival theoretical and managerial perspectives. Its focus includes theories of ethics and their application to case studies in business. Topics include moral issues in advertising and sales; hiring and promotion; financial management; corporate pollution; product safety; and decision-making across borders and cultures.