The role of generalizability in moral and political psychology Comment

The aim of the social and behavioral sciences is to understand human behavior across a wide array of contexts. Our theories often make sweeping claims about human nature, assuming that our ancestors or offspring will be prone to the same biases and preferences. Yet we gloss over the fact that our research is often based in a single temporal context with a limited set of stimuli. Political and moral psychology are domains in which the context and stimuli are likely to matter a great deal (Van Bavel, Mende-Siedlecki, Brady, & Reinero, 2016). In response to Yarkoni (see BBS issue), we delve into topics related to political and moral psychology that likely depend on features of the research. These topics include understanding differences between liberals and conservatives, when people are willing to sacrifice someone to save others, the behavior of political leaders, and the dynamics of intergroup conflict.

Automated summary

The aim of social and behavioral sciences is to understand human behavior in various contexts. However, our research often relies on limited stimuli and a single temporal context, despite making general claims about human nature. Political and moral psychology are fields that are likely influenced by the context and stimuli, involving topics such as understanding differences between liberals and conservatives, sacrificing someone to save others, political leaders' behavior, and intergroup conflict dynamics.