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Moral reasoning, moral decision‐making, and empathy in Korsakoff’s syndrome
Author(s) -
Oudman Erik,
Stigt Thans Sioux,
Montoya Estrella R.,
Postma Albert
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of neuropsychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1748-6653
pISSN - 1748-6645
DOI - 10.1111/jnp.12233
Subject(s) - empathy , psychology , moral reasoning , moral development , interpersonal reactivity index , social cognitive theory of morality , developmental psychology , lawrence kohlberg's stages of moral development , moral disengagement , theory of mind , executive functions , social psychology , cognition , perspective taking , psychiatry
Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder, caused by a vitamin B1 deficiency. Although it is known that patients with KS display diminished theory of mind functioning and frequently exhibit marked antisocial interactions little attention has so far focused on the integrity of moral decision‐making abilities, moral reasoning, and empathy. In an experimental cross‐sectional design, 20 patients diagnosed with KS, and twenty age‐, education‐, and gender‐equivalent healthy participants performed tests assessing moral decision‐making, moral reasoning maturity, empathy, and executive functioning. Participants were administered the Moral Behaviour Inventory (MBI) for everyday moral dilemmas, and ten cartoons of abstract moral dilemmas. Responses were scored according to the Kohlberg stages of moral reasoning. Empathy and executive functioning were assessed with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). In contrast to frontal traumatic brain injury patients, KS patients did not display a utilitarian bias, suggesting preserved moral decision‐making abilities. Of interest, KS patients had significantly lower levels of moral reasoning maturity on everyday moral dilemmas, and abstract moral dilemmas. In patients, empathy was moderately related to the level of moral maturity on both tasks, while executive functioning was not. In conclusion, KS patients have preserved moral decision‐making abilities, but their moral reasoning abilities are poorer in everyday and abstract situations. Lower moral reasoning abilities and lower levels of empathy together may be responsible for adverse social functioning in KS.