Psychology Today

An experimental study run on more than 1,000 scientists shows that their value judgments actually have a surprising influence on the way they decide whether a trait is 'innate.'

Is male violence innate? The debate rages on.

A new series of experiments looks at the impact of pornography. When people see a woman in a pornographic image, do they think of her entirely as a body and not as a mind? Or might they neglect only certain parts of her mind but continue to focus on others?

Imagine a universe in which everything that happens is completely caused by whatever happened before.

How do we think about the intentional nature of actions? And how do people with an impaired mindreading capacity thinkg about it?

A 2006 Washington Post article profiles a big-time Washington D.C. gang leader known as "A.J." The author reveals that A.J.'s half-brother was recently murdered. The killer then turned himself in and was charged with first degree murder. Here's A.J.'s reaction:"I would have rather him stayed on the street -- and get some street justice . . . I'm very upset that I can't do nothing about it. I'm very upset that this dude took the sucker way out and turned himself in. I'm mad and angry."(From "In or Out of the Game" by Kevin Merida. Washington Post, December 31, 2006)A.J. was upset, mad, angry, and yet it seems like justice was served. The murderer was charged for his crime and is going to be punished according to the gravity of his offense. He will receive his "just-deserts." So why is A.J. so angry and upset?

New research in experimental philosophy explores the psychology behind our political preferences

Suppose you learned that someone had committed a horrible rape. And now suppose you find out that he is suffering from a neurological condition. Would you still hold him responsible for what he had done?

A new study in experimental philosophy asks whether people would be willing to live a life of illusion.

Philosophers and psychologists often debate about whether our beliefs, emotions, desires, values, etc., are innate or whether they are learned. But does this type of debate make sense? Paul Griffiths, Stefan Linquist and I have argued that it does not!