The Cognitive Neuroscience of Moral Decision-Making in Extreme Situations: High-Stress or Life-Threatening Scenarios

Abstract

Scientists have researched the intricacies of cognitive neuroscience in an attempt to explain how extreme stress changes moral decision-making in critical life-or-death situations. By examining the complicated interactions among key brain regions–the amygdala, ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)–we uncover how increases in cortisol and adrenaline modulate the shift from ethical reasoning to base instinctual reactions. Compelling research and neuroimaging results have revealed how high-stress situations amplify emotional reactions while impairing rational thinking, leading to impulsive decisions that favor self-preservation over morality. Such findings are in direct opposition to leading views regarding moral reasoning and make a strong case for the urgent need for strategies to improve ethical decision-making in high-pressure situations–especially among individuals standing at the forefront when crises occur.