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There’s a way to change moral judgments

By | March 30, 2010, 7:13 AM PDT

Who knew? The part of your brain, behind your right ear determines what you consider good and bad choices — and furthermore, these moral judgments can be altered by a magnetic field.

As it turns out, Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists have figured out that they can change people’s moral judgments by placing a magnetic field up to a specific brain region. When the subjects in the study were put under the influence of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), their reasoning was based on knowing the outcome of the event regardless of the possible harm in getting there.

The BBC reports:

[MIT] lead researcher Dr Liane Young said: “You think of morality as being a really high-level behavior.

“To be able to apply a magnetic field to a specific brain region and change people’s moral judgments is really astonishing.”

The key area of the brain is a knot of nerve cells known as the right temporo-parietal junction (RTPJ).

The RTPJ region of the brain is active when a person is making a moral decision. So when the magnetic field was applied to a specific brain region, normal cell activity was temporarily disturbed — causing people to be more forgiving when presented with a situation about a bad moral judgment. One of the dilemmas presented involved a friend unknowingly putting toxic sugar into her friend’s coffee.

And it didn’t matter if the magnetic field was applied for 25 minutes straight or in short periods. As long as magnetic pulses were applied, the scientists noticed the change in people’s moral compass.

Updated: “Magnet” was changed to “magnetic field” to avoid confusion.

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Boonsri Dickinson

About Boonsri Dickinson

Boonsri Dickinson was a contributing editor for SmartPlanet from 2010 to 2012.

Boonsri Dickinson

Boonsri Dickinson

Contributing Editor, Science

Boonsri Dickinson is a freelance journalist based in San Francisco. She has written for Discover, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Nature Biotech, Technewsdaily.com, Techstartups.com and AOL. She's currently a reporter for Business Insider. She holds degrees from the University of Florida and the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Follow her on Twitter.

Boonsri Dickinson

Boonsri Dickinson

In the unlikely event that Boonsri has a professional or financial relationship with a company she writes about, it will be prominently disclosed.

She writes for SmartPlanet and is not an employee of CBS.

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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
There's always been a way to change moral judgments. Just prefix a name with "The Honorable..." or append it with "..., CEO." We'll do horrible, destructive, inhuman things for a government/ corporate abstraction than we'd ever find tolerable as individuals.
Posted by andrewhorning
30th Mar 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Of course there is. Just listen to your Heart and Concience. Artificially influencing the human moral behavior has been done for Ceturies. Drugs, beatings, moms, dads, influence of peers. To do it magnetically? Put in place a magnet on your Glasses. Then when you do the No, No, you have an excuse. LOL
Posted by Solution1
30th Mar 2010
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Oh please, andrewhorning
The "CEOs and Honorables" come from the general population, of
which you and I are members.

There are many problems in the world, for sure. Lets focus on
specific problems and/or individual perpetrators instead of useless
generalities, which only contribute to the problem by distracting
others from the issues.
Posted by charlesk61
30th Mar 2010
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this is rich
When I was a kid, I learned that holding a magnet to a computer's hard drive or floppy drive erased it. For a long time afterwards, I was afraid to hold a magnet to my own head for fear of similar consequences.

That was an irrational childhood fear. Now you're telling me that holding a magnet to your head will help you make better moral judgement?

Maybe it just brainwashes you o_0'
Posted by blackepyon01@...
30th Mar 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Let's try this on Dana B. If I notice a more moral capacity in this written blogs I will believe it works!
Posted by mario@...
30th Mar 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
mario@...
03/30/10
RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
"Let's try this on Dana B. If I notice a more moral capacity in his written blogs I will believe it works!"

10 out of 10 for that one!
Posted by kwickset@...
30th Mar 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
There are words used that does not complete a direct statement. Does this impair are better support the moral judgment? Will it help my son be less rebellious and better respect his elders? Or will he become worse?
Posted by jjjjbbbb
31st Mar 2010
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There is a better way
There is a better way than magnets. Jesus Christ, the author of morality. How do we decide if something is moral or immoral if not for a standard to judge by?
Posted by jwlthe4th
31st Mar 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Jesus is not the author of morality god is ROFL just put a magnet to the spot right behind your right ear and say that 100 time let me know what happens
Posted by Erich61@...
31st Mar 2010
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There is a better way
Erich61 - What an illogical response. Rhetoric has no objective value. How do you determine what is moral?
Posted by jwlthe4th
1st Apr 2010
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Give Each Politician A Morality Cap ... If It Helps
I was going to suggest Placing A Magnetic Tunnel At The Entrance to The Capital, Now! Depends upon the heart awa other influences too. Many other people in this nation could use a moral reset too.
I'm satirizing the piece although the conclusion is a stretch already but I'll stay tuned for further developments. I have to read the particular clinical study, though this type of experiment isn't really new, it's enlightening to possibly find specific areas that could be functionally altered by external stimuli and provide exciting results such as behavior modification. The RTPJ is rarely referenced so that is a bit new for exploration, for me that is. Social relationships are complex and there isn't just one over-riding component of the brain but integration. The "ecosystem" for social functioning involves many areas besides the RTPJ. Perhaps immorality of sort could be social dyslexia? Among other matters, the right parietal lobe supposedly provides us a sense of self, our individual relationship to physical space and other people. The RTPJ is likely a gateway in the vicinity of the Sylvian fissure that provides an interface to other lobes and components such as the anterior cingulate gyrus.
I'm putting this into perspective of whether a person is in a position to consider committing an act and that they have the ability to judge its morality. If they are able to consider the morality of the act then they must have a frame of reference, to imagine how their behavior will affect another, and to personally care about the results such as causing physical harm or affecting the social relationship.
Then there are areas, such as the amygdala and hypothalamus, that are involved with social behavior by helping to determine the intensity or strength of relationships and emotional bonds to others. The hippocampus coordinates the memory to recall social situations that are tagged with a certain level of intensity, so to speak, by the amygdala. The anterior cingulate gyrus receives the memory and emotional cues to coordinate many functions such as attention and motivation. Basic as this attempt at an explanation is, the resulting response and behavior could be considered the person displaying their sense of moral judgement.
Needless to say, the coordination is complex and I haven't mentioned any biochmeicals such as neurotransmitters nor other physical features such as the cerebellum. I've read that many alterations of thought and behaviour involve the neurotransmitters in some way but anybody can encounter a moral dilemma, make a bad judgement, or become evil. It's all in the mix of what is really normal and consideration of nature vs nurture. The Sylvian Fissure indicates one of the areas where the brain is folded so the RTPJ could be in there. My wonder is how a magnetic field affects the process and on what specific part of the function: neurochemical, physical structure, or electrical. Perhaps it interrupts so that the person has another opportunity to reconsider the consequences of their actions?
I have to check the report and clinical study so I hope that it is referenced to read. Btw, one of my favorite books on the subject is John Ratey's "A User's Guide to the Brain: Perception, Attention, and the Four Theatres of the Brain". It was published in 2001 so further studies were imminent such as this matter with the RTPJ. I doubt that it is as simple as this brief article makes it to be but at least it motivated my curiousity on the subject.
Posted by donnydo77@...
3rd Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
He made me do it... he held a magnet to my head!
LOL!
Posted by greggatshack
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Erich61 and jwlthe4th - What are you talking about? Don't you realise
that you are God? You have to take responsibility for your own morality
and actions.
Posted by greggatshack
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Oh no! If we somehow find the methods to correct the unquestioned failures in the human animal's brain then maybe we have a chance to survive. However, once we control things like population levels, economic greed as well as the animal desires to kill one another what are we going to do with ourselves? I guess we will all have to sit back and enjoy this life to its fullest before we are turned back into that from which we came - insects, plants or maybe just earth!
Posted by dgage19558@...
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
I have read yesterday in a Medical Book (authored by a Medical Doctor) that the placing of the NEGATIVE pole of a magnet gently onto skin legions helps to draw out toxins, and thereby decrease the skin disease with moderate to good results (of course for cleanliness the magnet is covered in cotton).
I wonder, is it again the Negative pole of the magnet which is used for drawing out the poor (negative) moral judgments, or if this is a purely subjective inference?
Research has suggested that migratory birds also use magnetics to find their destinations ... perhaps if the poles can be identified which the birds pay attention to at which season, it can then be construed which season is morally good and bad for the birds viability and perpetuation.
Posted by Timothy Alexander Donnelly
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
This has been possible for hundreds of years.
Pressing a cylindrical tube with an ID of about .45 inches behind either ear has almost always done the trick.
Posted by ofrmgfo
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
wow... now i can live guilt-free!
Posted by thegreatjh
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
It's sad how many idiots come out of the woodwork when a topic includes the word "moral".

Clearly the point of this entry is to highlight the fact that morality itself is subjective and dynamic. It can be altered, and does change over time.

Would you associate your god or deity with anything so impermanent when they are supposed to be eternal?

I know all the idiots of the forum will not understand this point, so I might as well stop typing in resignation that the stupid people shall remain so.

Still, I'd like to make a final point: Dana B. is a good man with many fine points. His writing is effective, and beneficial to the greater good. He might miss certain variables, and might be highly editorialized, but his work as a whole is to the benefit of mankind and this planet.

People who trash talk a good man with excellent point just because they disagree are only making themselves bigger fools than they already are; though it is highly infuriating for me to read.
Posted by gnostication@...
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Interesting story. Wonder how long it will be before some military outfits its troops with headbands that position a magnetic field to influence the RTPJ region? OTOH, find a region of the brain easily influenced by an external magnetic field and that also controls appetite and you can change the world in a very positive way.
Posted by rpcohen
13th Apr 2010
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READ the original study!!!
They did NOT "apply a magnet" to the brain region, they INDUCED a current flow using a magnet field...which means a MOVING magnetic field or a switching magnetic field.

It did NOT make the subjects have "better" moral judgement, but reduced their sensitivity to BAD jusgements.

This is of interest why?
Because cell phones generate electromagnetic fields very close to the brain location affected when used by right-handed people (the majority!)
Posted by wizoddg
13th Apr 2010
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plenty of individual perps
Jintao, Jiabao, Pelosi, Reid, McCain, Schmidt, Kennedy, Simpson, Mazzoli,
Dodd, d'Amato, Ellison, McNealy... there are plenty of individual perps and
offenses to go around. Knowing the way things work, the ones in congress
probably voted for the unconstitutional expenditures for the research to
find this means of impairing ethical judgement, to bring the rest of the
population down to their level.
Posted by Professor8
13th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
The article does not say it induced current, it says that a magnetic field was introduced. Having worked in electronics for many years, the difference is huge. A magnetic field does induce electric current in wires but it also has other effects. A static magnetic field (stationary and unchanging in intensity) can influence the resistance of a conductor. In this case even a small change could have drastic influence on computing equipment that rely on multiple pathways for data flow. If a few of the paths are restricted then data may become unreadable.

Magnetic fields are often given as a possible cause of "haunted" activity. The electromagnetic field causes feelings of dread, being watched, hallucinations (both auditory and visual). The more sensitive the individual the more severe the symptoms. This is likely directly linked to this study. I think that the effect of the magnetic field varies in individuals because of the subtly different "wiring" of people. Your brain is functionally the same as mine, but some genetic variation will produce minor differences in pathways as well as things such as bone and skin density. Magnetic fields diminish quickly so encountering impeding structures has an exponential effect on it's strength

The resulting effects of this study are somewhat disturbing. It basically says that people can be codified by magnets to accept morally repugnant choices as not so bad if it's for a good reason. Is this the sort of thing we want to experiment with? Would causing a majority of people personal hardship to fix the enviornment be ok? some people already say sure but many people say that we should have less impact on people and take longer roads to the same end. I don't really care either way, as I think that personal hardships are a part of life anyway. But if this "technology" were applied, apparently most would say go ahead and give those hardships (although they may still say "as long as it isn't me"). By extension could we see putting people into camps for subversives as a way to make society safer? Perhaps having those people in the camps work for free on government programs that benefit the population. I'm sure you can see where I'm headed.

We don't need religion to know what morality is, it is simple. If you would not want what you are doing to someone else done to you, it's immoral. Sometimes we insulate ourselves from that simple truth by hiding in religion or science or politics.
Posted by rpjacks
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
@wiz, that's true but the strength of the electromagnetic field vs the strength of the electromagnetic field in the cell phone probably are different.
Posted by marksteele
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
How do we make people more acceptable to choices they would normaly object to? The first step to big brotherism solved.
Posted by chris@...
14th Apr 2010
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Poorly Written Article - Inclomplete Summary
The article leaves out a lot of information, such as how the study was conducted - what was actually done to the participants. More examples of the different kinds of situations and how they were presented to the participants are needed to explain what is at stake. The statement, "When the subjects in the study were put under the influence of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), their reasoning was based on knowing the outcome of the event regardless of the possible harm in getting there," needs a better explanation. Are you saying the participants were more likely to justify the behavior based on the outcome? How did the researchers measure a change? Was there any lasting effects? What prompted the study and why did the researchers test the effect of a magnetic field in the first place?
Posted by Craigmeister68
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Here are some possible ramifications and ways this may be used:

1) When people are making some sort of judgment, might there be a way to apply a broad magnetic field, say, to an entire room, and have it affect everyone in the room?
2) What about voting issues. Not saying it could be done in the local school lunch room where the polls are set up, but what about in a board room where they are voting on removing a CEO who did something immoral? Might they be influenced by someone generating a large enough magnetic field?

I suppose I'd like to see more research on how much magnetism is required to cause the change (strength of field times duration of exposure). With this information and a large enough magnetic coil, you may be able to get people to favor certain outcomes in voting or other judgment situations. You know big business will find a way to use it.
Posted by joe.justice@...
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Hasn't anyone here read Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World"? Isn't this the same type of Orwellian mind control that has been a subject of contemplation since Johnathan Swift or even into the classic era?

The tools change, but the goal never seems to.

Peace.
Posted by GDoC
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
i wonder what influence mobile phones have?!?!?!
Posted by cperrot@...
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
BTW....
I find it humorous the number of people I meet that justify their use of Bluetooth headsets because they are afraid of the radio frequencies from their cell phones and how they may cause damage to their brains (way too late for most of them IMHO).

I also seem to recall a "safety notice" on a WiFi access point that warned that it should not be used for extended periods within 30mm (thats millimeters), or less than 1.5" of your head.
Posted by GDoC
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
I'm curious as to what magnetic fields can do when applied to different locations on the skull, or if this is the only area that has an effect. I'm also curious as to what magnitude of magnetic field is necessary, whether a refridgerator magnet could do it, or if you'd need power like an MRI machine.
Posted by spyro17@...
14th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
They actually didn't say that it was a positive change, just a change.
If you usually make bad moral judgments, the field would, I suppose help you make better judgments. What if you normally make good moral judgments? Is the opposite true?
Posted by dslovejoy
20th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
So thats whats happened to our politicans, they have maggets in their heads? Err, I meant to say magnets. I'm grabbin my binoculars and lookin at all their right ears...
Posted by lls451
20th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Unless I misread this seriously, this statementscares the living daylights out of me:

"The RTPJ region of the brain is active when a person is making a moral decision. So when the magnetic field was applied to a specific brain region, normal cell activity was temporarily disturbed ? causing people to be more forgiving when presented with a situation about a bad moral judgment.

One of the dilemmas presented involved a friend unknowingly putting toxic sugar into her friend?s coffee."

A magnetic field will make me feel BETTER about doing something I might otherwise find repugnant! "Oh, Well... Sorry, Susan. But you certainly had it coming to you. But I won't lose any sleep over it."

You're kidding me, right?

Here's a bit from Wikipedia concerning transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation

I fervently hope this never catches on, as it only seems to work for the bad decisions. You could almost see where this would go. Criminals are bad enough, now we can excuse all kinds of behavior -- just stand near a magnetic field.
Posted by mcswan454
20th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Before we flame me mercilessly, let's continue with the article:

"And it didn?t matter if the magnetic field was applied for 25 minutes straight or in short periods. As long as magnetic pulses were applied, the scientists noticed the change in people?s moral compass."

I infer that if I'm trying to make a good decision, and this area is "temporarily disturbed" per the article, I MIGHT NOT make that good decision. As already stated, the knowledge of a bad decision (morally speaking) I'll be more forgiving of.

Is it just me, or will someone else please re-read this and show me where I'm confused?

Thx.

M.
Posted by mcswan454
20th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Re-read the article carefully. A couple of shots of whiskey has even
more efficacy at relaxing your moral judgement.
Posted by jefmud
20th Apr 2010
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
Yes, I agree. And I do indulge. But I'm curious as to how long exactly it'll be before some intrepid electronics engineer delivers a hand-portable device that allows one to take advantage of another, sans the whiskey.

Why bother getting her/him drunk, when all you'd need is a device
to alter moral perception, with nothing more than your arm around the back of the chair? Place your hand just below the right ear, with a device that may be no more threatening than... say, a cell phone, PDA?

You don't even have to hug, just a simple relaxed gesture that may induce no immediate regrets about a decision?

In this I jest (or DO I?).

Nevertheless, I'm wondering more WHOM commissioned this study. Obviously, someone had a hypothesis, based on observations, and was able to obtain a grant to produce the study, publish the results. Cui bono REF: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cui_bono

Still frightens the heck (original expletive deleted) because, even with whiskey, I can always say STOP, should I still have the moral compass to choose. How many people do we both know who may indulge -- perhaps even to excess sometimes -- but would not EVER go off their moral compass? They exist by the millions, or our race as Humans would have been extinguished long ago.

And before we go into the "Higher Powers" thing, some of the most notorious moral failures have been documented by those holding the rest of us to moral standards!

We know alcohol reduces inhibitions. Granted. But, if I'm relating this correctly to myself (again, only to ME), IF your compass was already shaky to begin with, alcohol didn't do it, it just made it easier to do. Under any OTHER set of circumstances (you wouldn't be caught and held responsible for your behavior) you'd do it anyhow.

A simple review of the number of people who, when presented with this: "If you absolutely KNEW you could not be caught, would you cheat on your spouse/significant other", an upsetting number say YES! And those polls are readily available from the pollsters, many of which are reputable pollsters!

Such polls are taken anonymously (obvious reasons) with stone cold SOBER people! To do otherwise would skew the results to useleness.

If so your moral compass is already impaired while sober, all this tells me, is you don't need much of an inducement to act in an immoral manner, then sleep soundly at night. So...

Only one question remains: How long does this effect last? Does the compass swing back with attendant guilt? If not, they'd better stop this experimentation NOW.

M.
Posted by mcswan454
20th Apr 2010
0 Votes
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RE: There's a way to change moral judgments
The practical use is for the kid who just screwed up royally zaps mom and dad and the arresting officer with a magnetic pulse so they go easy on him/her.
Posted by beeman10@...
21st Apr 2010
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