118 - Josh Jackson: Morality, Culture, and Social Media
Oct 12, 2023
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Josh Jackson, Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, discusses the co-evolution of culture and psychology. Topics include morality across cultures, understanding kindness, the impact of social media, and Josh's academic journey.
Different cultures have varying views of morality, with some embracing nuance and others adopting a more generalized approach.
The size of our social networks and communities can influence our perception of morality, with larger networks often leading to a more generalized view.
Historical factors, such as wars and migration, have coevolved with psychological changes and shaped our views of morality throughout human history.
Deep dives
Culture and Morality: Exploring Nuances and Generalizations
In this podcast episode, Josh Jackson, a behavioral science professor, discusses the relationship between culture and morality. He delves into the question of why some cultures view morality in a more nuanced way, while others have a more generalized perspective. He explores how our social networks and the size of our communities may influence our perception of morality. Additionally, the podcast touches on the impact of social media on our moral judgments. Jackson also shares his personal journey as an academic, highlighting the hopes and anxieties that come with becoming a professor.
Differentiating Localized and Generalized Morality
The podcast delves into the distinction between localized and generalized morality. Localized morality refers to seeing others as having specific moral traits or behaviors in certain contexts, whereas generalized morality collapses different dimensions of morality and views people as either good or bad overall. The discussion highlights the complexities and variations in how individuals perceive morality, and why some cultures tend to adopt a more generalized approach while others embrace nuance.
The Influence of Social Networks on Moral Judgments
The podcast addresses the influence of social networks and network size on how individuals perceive others' morality. It suggests that as social groups expand and individuals interact with a larger number of strangers, they tend to adopt a more generalized view of morality. This shift may be influenced by the need to make quick assessments and predictions about others' behavior due to limited knowledge and familiarity. The speaker explores the potential functional benefits and drawbacks of generalized morality in these social contexts.
Historical Factors Shaping Morality
The podcast delves into the historical factors that have shaped our views of morality. It examines how changes in socio-ecological processes such as wars, migration, urbanization, and language development have coevolved with psychological changes over time. The speaker highlights the importance of studying historical psychology to understand the evolution of human psychology and challenges the assumption that current psychological norms are universal or fixed.
Implications for Justice and Societal Polarization
The podcast discusses the implications of generalized morality for justice systems and societal polarization. The speaker explores how different perspectives on morality influence punishment and judgments of others. The assumptions we make about others' morality can impact our perceptions and interactions, contributing to group polarization and potentially hindering open dialogue. The speaker raises questions about the functional aspects and limitations of generalized morality in contemporary diverse societies.
Eric chats with Joshua Jackson, newly minted Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In his research, Josh studies how culture co-evolves with psychology. He is interested in how culture has shaped the mind throughout human history, and how it continues to shape human futures. He regularly publishes in the field’s best journals with innovative methods and is by many considered a rising star in psychology.
In this chat, Eric and Josh discuss culture and morality. Why do some cultures have a crude view of another’s morality as either all good or all bad, when some cultures have a more nuanced view? Can we ever know how kind someone truly is? How does social media impact our sense of morality? Finally, Josh shares his exciting journey across the whole globe to find his identity as an academic and opens up about the hopes and anxieties he has over becoming a professor.
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