270052 Beyond Right and Wrong: The Psychology of Moral Judgment (S) (WiSe 2026/2027)

Should abortion be permitted, euthanasia be legal, and animal testing be banned? Is it fair to tax the wealthy more heavily? And is it immoral to eat meat or to continue flying? Such questions revolve around what we intuitively judge to be “right” or “wrong,” “good” or “evil.” Moral psychology examines how people arrive at such judgments.

In this seminar, we will explore fundamental theories of moral psychology. We will examine why people often think, feel, and act so differently when it comes to moral issues, and how social-psychological processes, experiences, and cultural influences shape these judgments. The seminar is dialogue-oriented and thrives on open discussion. Participants reflect on their own moral convictions and learn to critically examine them through dialogue with others and in light of social-psychological and interdisciplinary approaches. Participants will gain insights through collaborative thinking, adopting different perspectives, and a curiosity to gain a new understanding of others’ moral reasoning – and their own.

Requirements for participation, required level

This seminar will be held in English.

A prerequisite for participation in the seminar is a willingness to collaboratively process, discuss and to engage with scientific journal articles written in English.

Für diese Veranstaltung gibt es eine zentrale Platzvergabe. Studierende werden darüber gesondert per Mail informiert. Bei Fragen zum Vorgehen wenden Sie sich bitte direkt an: seminarplatzvergabe-psychologie@uni-bielefeld.de / Access to this seminar is allocated centrally. Students will be notified separately via email. If you have any questions about the process, please contact seminarplatzvergabe-psychologie@uni-bielefeld.de

Bibliography

Gray, K., & Graham, J. (Eds.). (2019). Atlas of moral psychology. Guilford Publications.