Moral Psychology of Punishment

15 March 2024 15:59 Main Ideas Notes 1. The Purpose of Punishment Retribution vs. Deterrence: The document distinguishes between retributive justice, which looks backward and seeks to repay wrongdoing ("an eye for an eye"), and deterrent measures, which are forward-looking with the aim of preventing...

15 March 2024 15:59 Main Ideas Notes 1. The Purpose of Punishment Retribution vs. Deterrence: The document distinguishes between retributive justice, which looks backward and seeks to repay wrongdoing ("an eye for an eye"), and deterrent measures, which are forward-looking with the aim of preventing future harm by changing behavior. Publicity's Role: It discusses the impact of punishment's publicity on deterrence, suggesting that the visibility of punishment to others may not significantly influence individuals' punitive decisions. Deservingness Over Deterrence: Findings suggest people often prioritize the perpetrator's deservingness of punishment over the potential for deterrence, indicating a natural lean towards retributive justice. 2. Empirical Studies on Punishment Baron & Ritov (2009): This study revealed that people's punitive decisions were mostly insensitive to the deterrent effects of punishment, even when deterrence was explicitly highlighted. Carlsmith, Darley, & Robinson (2002): Their research found that factors related to retribution, like deservingness, heavily influenced sentencing judgments, demonstrating a preference for retributive justice over deterrence. Game Theory and Punishment: Studies cited (Choi & Ahn, 2013; Fehr & Gächter, 2002) show people punish in game scenarios, even when interactions are anonymous and one-time, highlighting an innate drive towards punishing wrongdoers regardless of personal benefit. 3. Discrepancy Between Professed Beliefs and Actions The document points out a notable discrepancy where individuals claim to support deterrence but often punish out of moral outrage, aligning more with retributive principles. This suggests a complex psychological landscape governing our punitive decisions, possibly influenced by evolutionary and social factors. 4. Levels of Analysis in Understanding Punishment The document introduces an interdisciplinary framework (Mechanistic, Ontogenetic, Phylogenetic, Adaptive) for analysing behavior, inspired by ethologists like Karl von Frisch, Niko Tinbergen, and Konrad Lorenz. Mechanistic Analysis: Examines the immediate physiological processes behind a behavior. Ontogenetic Analysis: Looks at how behavior develops over an individual's lifetime. Phylogenetic Analysis: Considers the genetic and evolutionary history of behavior. Adaptive Analysis: Investigates how a behavior influences survival and reproductive fitness. 5. Examples of Application Incest Aversion: The document applies the levels of analysis to incest aversion, showing how mechanistic factors (disgust), ontogenetic experiences (childhood co-residence), and adaptive considerations (avoidance of genetic disorders) play roles. Punishment Motivations: It also applies these levels to understand punishment motivations, linking mechanistic factors like moral outrage to adaptive outcomes such as norm compliance and group cooperation. Summary PSYC0010 Social Psychology Page 1 Notes 6. Implications and Further Questions The analysis raises important questions about the nature of our punitive instincts. ○ Are they primarily a product of evolutionary pressures to maintain social order and cooperation, or do they also serve individual psychological needs for fairness and retribution? It suggests exploring further how cultural and societal norms shape our views on punishment, and whether different contexts (e.g., legal vs. personal) influence our punitive decisions. 7. Conclusion and Further Research Directions The moral psychology of punishment is a multifaceted subject involving interplay between individual psychological processes, societal norms, and evolutionary pressures. Future research could benefit from a more integrated approach, combining psychological, sociological, and evolutionary perspectives to better understand the complex motivations behind punitive actions. Notes Notes PSYC0010 Social Psychology Page 2