Brain Scans Show Obedience to Authority Diminishes Moral Responsibility

Recent research utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shed light on how obeying authority figures impacts our perception of moral responsibility. A study conducted on both military officer cadets and civilians found consistent neural evidence that the sense of acting as the true author of our actions diminishes when individuals follow orders, whether in civilian or military contexts. This decrease in the perception of agency occurs regardless of the individual's background, highlighting a fundamental neurocognitive process involved in moral decision-making.

The concept of the "sense of agency" (SoA) is crucial in understanding how we perceive our control over actions and their consequences. When we believe we are the true authors of our decisions, we naturally feel responsible for their outcomes. However, this feeling diminishes when actions are performed under coercion or hierarchical commands, a phenomenon that has significant implications for ethics and justice.

In the study titled "Neural correlates of the sense of agency in free and coerced moral decision-making among civilians and military personnel," researchers investigated whether the neural underpinnings of SoA differ between different populations when making voluntary or coerced moral choices. Participants, including 19 military cadets and 24 civilians, engaged in tasks that involved choosing whether to inflict a mild shock on a victim, either freely or under orders. The study measured the temporal binding between actions and consequences, which indicates the level of perceived agency.

Findings revealed that the perception of agency decreases significantly during obedience, with no substantial differences between civilians and military personnel. Brain regions such as the occipital lobe, frontal gyrus, and precuneus were associated with this altered perception. According to researcher Axel Cleeremans, these results suggest that obedience reduces the neural sense of moral agency across different environments, emphasizing that professional training and responsibility levels may influence these perceptions.

While the study underscores the universality of these neural reactions, it also highlights that military officers in the study were trained to assume responsibility for their actions. Cleeremans notes that individuals of lower military rank, who have less responsibility, might exhibit different neural patterns, pointing to potential areas for responsibility cultivation in training programs.

Understanding these neural mechanisms is vital for discussions about moral responsibility, accountability, and ethical behavior, especially in contexts where hierarchical obedience is routine. This research offers valuable insights into how obedience can influence our moral judgments at a brain level, constraining personal responsibility and shaping societal norms.

For more details, see the full study: Emilie A Caspar et al, Neural correlates of the sense of agency in free and coerced moral decision-making among civilians and military personnel, Cerebral Cortex (2025). [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaf049]

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-obeying-dulls-moral-responsibility-brain.html