Simple view
Full metadata view
Authors
Statistics
Ultrasound viewers’ attribution of moral status to fetal humans : a case for presumptive rationality
Journal
Diametros
100
Author
Giebel Heidi M.
Volume
17
Number
64
Title of volume
Special Issue "The normative significance of empirical moral psychology"
Pages
22-35
ISSN
1733-5566
Keywords in English
ethics
psychology
empathy
bias
abortion
judgment
cognition
Remarks
Bibliogr. s. 33-35
Language
English
Journal language
English
Abstract in English
As several studies, along with a book and movie depicting the true story of a former clinic director, have recently brought to the public’s attention, fetal ultrasound images dramatically impact some viewers’ normative judgments: a small but non-negligible proportion of viewers attribute increased moral status to fetal humans and even form the belief that abortion is impermissible. I consider three types of psychological explanation for a viewer’s shift in beliefs: (1) increased bonding or empathy, (2) various forms of cognitive bias, and (3) type of cognitive processing involved. I consider the normative implications of each explanation, arguing that in each case the viewer’s judgment is presumptively rational.
Scopus© citations
3
| dc.abstract.en | As several studies, along with a book and movie depicting the true story of a former clinic director, have recently brought to the public’s attention, fetal ultrasound images dramatically impact some viewers’ normative judgments: a small but non-negligible proportion of viewers attribute increased moral status to fetal humans and even form the belief that abortion is impermissible. I consider three types of psychological explanation for a viewer’s shift in beliefs: (1) increased bonding or empathy, (2) various forms of cognitive bias, and (3) type of cognitive processing involved. I consider the normative implications of each explanation, arguing that in each case the viewer’s judgment is presumptively rational. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Giebel, Heidi M. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-05-29T06:16:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-05-29T06:16:52Z | |
| dc.date.createdat | 2026-05-29T06:16:52Z | en |
| dc.date.issued | 2020 | |
| dc.date.openaccess | 0 | |
| dc.description.accesstime | w momencie opublikowania | |
| dc.description.additional | Bibliogr. s. 33-35 | |
| dc.description.number | 64 | |
| dc.description.physical | 22-35 | |
| dc.description.version | ostateczna wersja wydawcy | |
| dc.description.volume | 17 | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.33392/diam.1472 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 1733-5566 | |
| dc.identifier.project | DRC AI | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/574547 | |
| dc.language | eng | |
| dc.language.container | eng | |
| dc.rights | Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa | |
| dc.rights.licence | CC-BY | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl | |
| dc.share.type | otwarte czasopismo | |
| dc.source.integrator | false | |
| dc.subject.en | ethics | |
| dc.subject.en | psychology | |
| dc.subject.en | empathy | |
| dc.subject.en | bias | |
| dc.subject.en | abortion | |
| dc.subject.en | judgment | |
| dc.subject.en | cognition | |
| dc.subtype | Article | |
| dc.title | Ultrasound viewers’ attribution of moral status to fetal humans : a case for presumptive rationality | |
| dc.title.journal | Diametros | |
| dc.title.volume | Special Issue "The normative significance of empirical moral psychology" | |
| dc.type | JournalArticle | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | en |
dc.abstract.en
As several studies, along with a book and movie depicting the true story of a former clinic director, have recently brought to the public’s attention, fetal ultrasound images dramatically impact some viewers’ normative judgments: a small but non-negligible proportion of viewers attribute increased moral status to fetal humans and even form the belief that abortion is impermissible. I consider three types of psychological explanation for a viewer’s shift in beliefs: (1) increased bonding or empathy, (2) various forms of cognitive bias, and (3) type of cognitive processing involved. I consider the normative implications of each explanation, arguing that in each case the viewer’s judgment is presumptively rational. dc.contributor.author
Giebel, Heidi M. dc.date.accessioned
2026-05-29T06:16:52Z dc.date.available
2026-05-29T06:16:52Z dc.date.createdaten
2026-05-29T06:16:52Z dc.date.issued
2020 dc.date.openaccess
0 dc.description.accesstime
w momencie opublikowania dc.description.additional
Bibliogr. s. 33-35 dc.description.number
64 dc.description.physical
22-35 dc.description.version
ostateczna wersja wydawcy dc.description.volume
17 dc.identifier.doi
10.33392/diam.1472 dc.identifier.issn
1733-5566 dc.identifier.project
DRC AI dc.identifier.uri
https://ruj.uj.edu.pl/handle/item/574547 dc.language
eng dc.language.container
eng dc.rights
Udzielam licencji. Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowa dc.rights.licence
CC-BY dc.rights.uri
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.pl dc.share.type
otwarte czasopismo dc.source.integrator
false dc.subject.en
ethics dc.subject.en
psychology dc.subject.en
empathy dc.subject.en
bias dc.subject.en
abortion dc.subject.en
judgment dc.subject.en
cognition dc.subtype
Article dc.title
Ultrasound viewers’ attribution of moral status to fetal humans : a case for presumptive rationality dc.title.journal
Diametros dc.title.volume
Special Issue "The normative significance of empirical moral psychology" dc.type
JournalArticle dspace.entity.typeen
Publication Affiliations
No affiliation
Giebel, Heidi M.
* The migration of download and view statistics prior to the date of April 8, 2024 is in progress.
Views
8
Views per month
Views per city
Rogoźnik
5
Katowice
2
Downloads
giebel_ultrasound_viewers_attribution_of_moral_status_2020.pdf
1
