About Quote by Jonathan Haidt
“My early research - I'm a social psychologist, and my early research was on how people make moral judgments. When I entered the field in 1987, everybody was looking at moral reasoning - how do kids reason about a moral dilemma? Should a guy steal a drug to save his wife's life?”
About This Quote
Source Book: Moral Judgment: A Social Psychological Perspective, 2001
People base moral judgments on intuitive emotions before rational reasoning, shaping how they evaluate dilemmas.
In simple terms: Moral judgments start with gut feelings.
Key Takeaway
Recognize intuition in moral decisions.
Themes
morality
psychology
intuition
reasoning
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- Legal judgments
- parenting dilemmas
- public policy debates
- education curricula
Key Concepts
Social cognition
moral foundations
emotional intuition
Questions to Reflect On
- How do emotions shape your moral choices?
- Can reasoning ever fully override intuition?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on reasoning may ignore cultural context.
