Psychological mechanism and the social support for social decision making in lifelong development

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K03034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10020:Educational psychology-related
• Research Institution: Aoyama Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: Komeda Hidetsugu 青山学院大学, 教育人間科学部, 准教授 (50711595)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 共感性 / 道徳 / 善悪判断 / 自閉スペクトラム症 / 非定型発達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

At first, I investigated cognitive decision making in children and adults with/without Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Second, emotional decision making in children and adults with/without ASD was discussed. Alexithymia traits and interoception have an important impact of emotional decision-making. Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in recognizing emotions from internal bodily sensations. Alexithymia frequently co-occurs in individuals with ASD (50%; Hill, Berthoz, & Frith, 2004; Shah, Hall, Catmur, & Bird, 2016). I studied the effect of comorbidity, such as ASD with alexithymia traits, on decision making processes. Third, moral decision making was investigated. Individual differences were examined by comparing children with ASD. Finally, I proposed support program for decision making enhancement for children and adults with ASD.

Free Research Field

教育心理学、認知心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

善悪の判断は、歴史的に、哲学、経済学の分野で議論されてきた問題である。アダム・スミスは、「道徳感情論」の中で、道徳感情である利他心と、人間の利己心について議論をしている。道徳判断の研究は、人間の意思決定や発達過程を明らかにする心理学的実験手法 (ブルーム, 2015; 唐沢, 2013)、脳の機能や構造を検討する脳科学的手法を用いて解明する試みがなされている (Decety & Wheatley, 2015; 金井, 2013)。したがって、善悪判断の研究分野は、善悪といった価値の判断についての哲学的側面と、人間の行動原理を解明する科学的側面の両方が必要な学際的な検討課題である。