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Experimental Psychology (Russia)
2017. Vol. 10, no. 3, 97–109
doi:10.17759/exppsy.2017100307
ISSN: 2072-7593 / 2311-7036 (online)

Dynamics of heart activities during moral dilemmas solving by children 4—11 years old

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I.M. Sozinova, A.V. Bakhchina, Y.I. Alexandrov

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Abstract

The goal of the present research was to investigate psychophysiological bases of moral dilemmas solving by children. We assessed the heart rhythm of Russian children aged 4—11 (N=75) during interview, solving moral dilemmas, and subsequent questionnaires. We compared data of two age group: 4—7 years old and 8—11 years old. The task of moral dilemma was to choose who would take a resource: an in-group member (resource is needed for an optional benefit) or an out-group member (resource is needed for survival). questionnaires. There was a significant decrease of heart rate moral decisions in younger children (4—7 years old). There was no differences of heart rate moral decisions in elder children (8—11 years old). We speculate that younger children have no mismatch during decision making due to scarcity of their new experience. They do not have to activate the adaptation processes during moral dilemmas solving. The results are discussed from the position of the system evolutionary approach and the notions of changes in heart rate variability as an indicator of adaptation processes.

General Information

Keywords: moral, in-/ out-group, adaptive processes, heart rhythm, moral dilemma, children 4—11 year-old

Journal rubric: Psychophysiology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2017100307

For citation: Sozinova I.M., Bakhchina A.V., Alexandrov Y.I. Dynamics of heart activities during moral dilemmas solving by children 4—11 years old. Eksperimental'naâ psihologiâ = Experimental Psychology (Russia), 2017. Vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 97–109. DOI: 10.17759/exppsy.2017100307. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Irina M. Sozinova, Researcher, Laboratory of Neurocognitive Research of Individual Experience Institute of Experimental Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology & Education, Associate Member of the Laboratory of Psychophysiology Named After V.B. Shvyrkov, Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences (FPFIS RAS), Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9422-8748, e-mail: eiole@yandex.ru

Anastasya V. Bakhchina, PhD in Psychology, Researcher, Institute of Psychology, RAS, scientific researcher, Department of psychophysiology, Nizhny Novgorod State University named N.I. Lobachevsky, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0598-1165, e-mail: nastya18-90@mail.ru

Yuri I. Alexandrov, Doctor of Psychology, Head the Laboratory of the Institute of Psychology RAS and Head. the Department of Psychophysiology State University of Humanitarian Sciences, Institute of Psychology Russian Academy of Science, head Laboratory of Neurocognitive Research of Individual Experience, Moscow State Psychological and Pedagogical University (FSBEI HE MGPPU), Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Education. Member of the editorial board of the scientific journal "Experimental Psychology", Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2644-3016, e-mail: yuraalexandrov@yandex.ru

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