Psychological Feasibility

Definition

Psychological feasibility refers to the extent to which individuals can realistically engage with and adopt the implications of a particular ethical theory or decision-making process. It emphasizes the psychological barriers that may prevent individuals from fully applying consequentialist principles, such as the need for emotional engagement and cognitive processing of potential outcomes. This concept is critical in understanding how people perceive and react to the demands of consequentialist ethics, which can sometimes seem detached from human emotions and relationships.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Psychological feasibility highlights the disconnect between theoretical ethical frameworks and individuals' emotional capabilities to process those theories in real-life situations.
2. Consequentialist ethics often face challenges related to psychological feasibility because the calculation of outcomes can require cognitive resources that may not be readily available to all individuals.
3. Many people may struggle with weighing consequences impartially, leading to emotional biases that challenge the application of purely consequentialist thinking.
4. Psychological feasibility suggests that ethical theories should consider human emotional responses and cognitive limitations to be more effective in guiding moral decision-making.
5. When evaluating ethical decisions, understanding psychological feasibility can help identify why individuals may reject or misinterpret consequentialist principles in practice.

Review Questions

• How does psychological feasibility affect individuals' ability to apply consequentialist ethics in decision-making?
  • Psychological feasibility affects how individuals engage with consequentialist ethics by introducing emotional and cognitive barriers that can impede their ability to weigh outcomes effectively. For example, when faced with a complex decision, an individual may find it difficult to detach from their emotions and consider only the consequences. This struggle can lead to inconsistencies in moral judgments, as people may prioritize emotional responses over objective evaluations of outcomes.
• Discuss the implications of psychological feasibility for utilitarianism as a form of consequentialism.
  • The implications of psychological feasibility for utilitarianism are significant because this ethical framework relies on calculating the greatest happiness for the greatest number. If individuals lack the psychological capacity to accurately assess all potential consequences, utilitarianism may falter in practice. Additionally, emotional biases can lead people to prioritize immediate concerns over long-term impacts, challenging the utility principle by skewing their perception of what constitutes 'happiness' or 'good.'
• Evaluate how understanding psychological feasibility could lead to improvements in moral psychology and ethical theory application.
  • Understanding psychological feasibility could enhance moral psychology and the application of ethical theories by integrating insights about human behavior into ethical frameworks. By acknowledging that individuals often operate under emotional and cognitive constraints, ethicists can develop more relatable and realistic ethical models. This could promote greater acceptance and practical use of consequentialist ethics by making them more aligned with human psychology, thus ensuring that ethical decisions resonate with people's lived experiences and emotional realities.

Related terms

Consequentialism: An ethical theory that judges actions based on their outcomes or consequences, asserting that the best action is the one that maximizes overall good.

Utilitarianism: A form of consequentialism that evaluates actions based on their ability to produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Moral Psychology: The study of how psychological processes influence moral behavior, including how individuals make ethical decisions and justify their actions.