Meanness Trumps language: Early Bilinguals Show Consistent Morality Across Languages

Researchers have long been fascinated by the complex interplay between language and moral decision-making. In a recent study, a team from the University of the Balearic Islands delved into this intriguing subject, focusing on early bilinguals and how their language use might influence their moral choices. Led by Dr. Albert Flexas, in collaboration with Dr. Raul Lopez-Penades, Dr. Eva Aguilar-Mediavilla, and Dr. Daniel Adrover-Roig, the research explored whether the Foreign Language effect (FLe) holds true for early, highly proficient Catalan-Spanish bilinguals. Their findings, published in PLOS ONE, challenge some established assumptions and shed new light on the role of personality traits in moral decision-making.

The study involved a group of Catalan-dominant undergraduate students who were highly proficient in both Catalan and Spanish. Participants were presented with moral dilemmas, split evenly between the two languages, and their responses were analyzed for utilitarian versus deontological decision-making. Surprisingly, the researchers found no significant difference in the moral decisions made in Catalan compared to those made in Spanish. This contradicts previous research suggesting that people are more likely to make utilitarian decisions when dilemmas are presented in a second language due to reduced emotional impact.

Dr. Flexas noted, “Our findings suggest that early bilinguals, who are equally proficient in both languages, do not exhibit the Foreign Language effect. This challenges the notion that a second language inherently provides greater emotional distance.”

The study also examined the influence of personality traits, particularly those associated with psychopathy, on moral decisions. Participants completed the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure, which assesses boldness, meanness, and disinhibition. The researchers found that meanness, characterized by a lack of empathy and a propensity for cruelty, was significantly associated with a higher proportion of utilitarian decisions, regardless of the language of the dilemma.

This aligns with previous studies suggesting that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are more likely to make utilitarian choices, prioritizing the greater good over individual harm.

The lack of a Foreign Language effect in this study might be attributed to the close linguistic and cultural relationship between Catalan and Spanish, both Romance languages used interchangeably in many social and educational contexts in Mallorca. This dual-language environment may diminish FLe typically observed when people switch to a more distantly related second language.

Additionally, the study explored how participants’ assessments of the dilemmas—such as perceived vividness, verisimilitude, and emotional arousal—influenced their moral choices. The results showed that dilemmas perceived as more vivid and realistic were more likely to elicit utilitarian responses, particularly among individuals with higher meanness scores. This highlights the complex interplay between personal traits and contextual factors in shaping moral judgments.

Dr. Flexas emphasized, “Our research underscores the importance of considering individual differences and the specific linguistic context when studying moral decision-making. Early bilinguals’ deep integration of both languages into their daily lives, here in Mallorca, likely neutralizes the moral distinct decisions seen in other bilingual populations.”

In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the factors influencing moral decision-making in bilinguals. It challenges the generalized applicability of the Foreign Language effect and highlights the significant role of personality traits like meanness in shaping moral choices. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between language, emotion, and morality, offering a fresh perspective on how bilingualism and individual differences intersect in ethical decision-making.