Are we moral blank slates at birth? A new study offers some clues

By Madeline G. Reinecke, Postdoctoral Researcher, Collective Moral Development, University of Oxford

What does a baby know about right and wrong? A foundational finding in moral psychology suggested that even infants have a moral sense, preferring “helpers” over “hinderers” before uttering their first word. Now, nearly 20 years later, a study that tried to replicate these findings calls this result into question.

In the original study, Kiley Hamlin and her colleagues showed a puppet show to six- and ten-month-old babies. During…

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