Adolescents Are More Utilitarian Than Adults in Group Moral Decision-Making

Abstract

This study explores how peers influence the moral decisions of Chinese adolescents (12- to 16-year-olds, Mage = 14.32, n = 84) and young adults (18- to 26-year-olds, Mage = 20.92, n = 99) in moral dilemmas. Participants were asked to make moral decisions individually and then collectively within groups of three to reach a consensus in Trolly dilemma and Footbridge dilemma. They were also required to evaluate the degree to which they felt their decisions were moral. Results showed that adolescents tended to choose “action” (pull the lever in Trolly dilemma, or push the man in Footbridge dilemma) more than adults, and evaluate their “no action” choice as more immoral than young adults across both individual and group settings. Adolescents showed consistent decision-making patterns regardless of whether decisions were made individually or collectively, while adults were more likely to choose “no action” in group decision-making. Our results suggest that adolescents are more utilitarian than young adults when making decisions in moral dilemmas, compared to young adults. Young adults are less likely to make utilitarian choices when they are in groups than when they make decisions individually.