Moral judgments can be altered by pulsed magnetic fields

March 30, 2010

Disrupting the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) of the brain by using 1 Hz transcranial magnetic stimulation made people less likely to condemn others for attempting but failing to inflict harm, neuroscientists led by Rebecca Saxe of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found in an experiment.

The study offers “striking evidence” that the right TPJ, located at the brain’s surface above and behind the right ear, is critical for making moral judgments, says Liane Young, lead author of the paper.

More info: MIT News