ABSTRACT
People’s moral choices and actions are greatly influenced by their emotional states and dispositions. Whereas these influences have typically been described as automatic and involuntary, here I will argue that they rely on general-purpose working memory mechanisms and are therefore restricted by capacity limitations. I will discuss a variety of empirical findings that illustrate this point across both positive and negative emotional influences, and for various moral behaviours. The findings show that when cognitive load increases—due to a competing task—emotional processing in working memory decreases, and as a result, influences moral choices and actions. Additionally, these findings emphasize the importance of individual differences in working memory functioning, such as attentional control skills, that allow for more flexible regulation of emotional influences on behaviour. I will end my overview with some unresolved questions and practical implications.
