Expanding Empathy 2026

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We will have a series of speakers visit us both in person and on Zoom to discuss interdisciplinary moral psychology, with a focus on connections across social sciences and the humanities. This event is hosted through the Consortium on Moral Decision-Making (https://moralconsortium.psu.edu/), which receives support from the Social Science Research Institute, College of Liberal Arts, Rock Ethics Institute, McCourtney Institute for Democracy, and Departments of Psychology and Philosophy.

Our first event will be this week, with Mohammad Atari (U Mass Amherst) visiting for multiple events. He will be giving an in-person talk through the social psychology speaker series from 12:15-1:15 on Wednesday, November 4 in Moore 127, with a Zoom option available here (registration required: https://psu.zoom.us/meeting/register/o5ElBINsQqSBhfzJWfWd7A). 

Title: Moral Psychology across Time and Space 

Abstract:

Morality consists of evolved instincts and inherited rules, which co-evolve with institutions. This cultural-evolutionary process creates moral diversity not only across regions, but also over historical time. In this talk, I argue that understanding moral minds requires studying the histories and environments that shape them. To demonstrate this approach, I present research tracing moral psychology across more than two millennia of Chinese history and 270 prefectures. Using computational analyses of classical texts and local historical records, we uncover substantial regional variation and nonlinear historical change. We also find that stronger kin-based institutions are associated with greater emphasis on loyalty, authority, and honor, and less emphasis on moral egalitarianism. These findings illustrate how historical records can help us investigate both the diversity of moral worlds and the institutions that sustain them. By expanding the remit of moral psychology across time and space, we can begin to distinguish recurring features of human morality from those specific to particular places and historical moments.

On Thursday, November 5, from 5:30-7:00pm at The Press Cider and Craft Beverage Taphouse, Dr. Atari will be in a public panel with Anne Pisor (Penn State Anthropology) and Sean Laurent (Penn State Psychology), along with hosts Daryl Cameron (EMP Lab, Psychology) and Paige Amormino (https://www.paigeamormino.com/; EMP Lab, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center). 

After the Atari visit, we will have two more events. On Tuesday, November 10, we will have a virtual panel with many of the authors of a new “many-labs” meta-science paper about developing a shared taxonomy of empathy concepts (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17456916261443519). The panel will include Mark Davis (Psychology, Eckerd), Stephanie Preston (Psychology, University of Michigan, https://lsa.umich.edu/psych/people/faculty/prestos.html), Heidi Maibom (Philosophy and History of Ideas, Aarhus University, https://www.heidimaibom.com/), Birgit Koopman-Holm (Psychology, Santa Clara University), Suzanne Keen (English, Scripps College, https://www.scrippscollege.edu/offices/profile/suzanne-keen), and me. We will be in conversation with three early career panelists—Paige Amormino, Brett Murphy (Assistant Professor, Texas A&M-San Antonio, https://apps.tamusa.edu/course-information/my-profile/faculty-Profile.php?ID=1109), and Greg Depow (Assistant Professor, Lakehead University, https://gregdepow.com/). Details about how to register will be shared.

Lastly, to complement this panel, on Monday December 7 from 11:00am-1:00pm we will have an open Zoom panel of select early career researchers on what they view as the future of research in the interdisciplinary study of empathy.