The Egocentric Morality Lab develops a theory of motivated moral cognition. We investigate how moral judgments and fairness perceptions, although experienced as objective and principled, are systematically shaped by self-interest, identity, and social context.
People typically believe they evaluate right and wrong impartially. Our research shows that moral evaluations are often aligned with personal advantage, group loyalty, or the protection of one’s moral self-image. We examine the cognitive and motivational mechanisms that produce these egocentric distortions, asking why moral judgments feel objective even when they are not.
By integrating moral and social psychology with research on judgment and decision-making, justice, and human–AI interaction, the lab advances a psychologically grounded account of how morality functions in modern institutional settings.
How self-interest shapes evaluations of moral character, responsibility, and wrongdoing.
Why people perceive procedures and outcomes as fair when they benefit—and unfair when they do not.
How individuals protect a coherent moral self-image while engaging in motivated reasoning.
How fairness judgments operate in algorithmic and hybrid decision-making systems.
Lab Team
Meet the researchers, collaborators, and trainees contributing to the lab’s work.
Research Grants
Ongoing and completed research projects advancing motivated moral cognition.
Join the Lab
Information for prospective PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators.