University of Kent psychologist delivering April 7 Expanding Empathy lecture

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – The last solo lecture in the Expanding Empathy 2021 lecture series is planned for Wednesday, April 7th. Jim AC Everett, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Psychology at the University of Kent, is giving a presentation.

Everett’s talk, which will be held as a Zoom webinar at 4pm, will be titled “Switching Tracks? A two-dimensional model of utilitarian psychology. “

“In the final talk in this year’s Expanding Empathy series, Dr. Everett will discuss how we can motivate prosocial action for the collective good through the lens of utilitarianism,” said C. Daryl Cameron, chairman of the Rock Ethics Institute Moral Agency and Morality Development Initiative: “In this series we have seen people manage empathy across entities and contexts and, more recently, have increased collective concerns about COVID-19. The closing talk will address this topic of expanding empathic concern broadly and impartially in order to maximize results for the world. “

Everett noted that a lot of work has been done in the field of moral psychology on classic trolley problem dilemmas to shed light on the psychological processes and individual differences associated with “utilitarianism.” But there is another key dimension of utilitarianism – impartial charity.

“This is the dimension associated with utilitarian demands to expand our moral circle and act impartially to achieve the common good regardless of the cost to ourselves,” says Everett. “For example, to donate much more of our income to effective charities around the world, to be vegetarian or vegan, and even to become a living organ donor.

“I will discuss recent work examining the types of individual differences associated with such impartial charity, the psychological processes that might underlie such impartial promotion of the common good, and the distinct consequences that impartial charity and have instrumental damage to social evaluation. “

Admission to the online event is free, but advance registration is required.

Cameron and Everett will host an informal meet-and-greet prior to Everett’s presentation, which begins at approximately 12:00 PM EDT prior to Everett’s presentation. Anyone wishing to attend this session can contact Daryl Cameron directly for more information.

The Expanding Empathy lectures are aimed at a broad, interdisciplinary audience and are open to faculties, staff, doctoral students and students, as well as the public.

While Everett’s talk marks the end of the solo lectures in the Expanding Empathy series of 2021, several of the speakers are scheduled to come together for a panel discussion on April 21st. This panel discussion starts at 3 p.m. More details are still being ironed out, and more information will be available shortly.

The presentations of recent years in the Expanding Empathy lecture series can be found here.

The series is supported by Penn State College of the Humanities and the College of Health and Human Development, as well as the Department of Psychology, Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, and Penn State University Libraries.

Series organizer Daryl Cameron is supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation as part of his broader research and commitment to empathy and generosity.

Founded in 2001 with the support of Doug and Julie Rock, the Rock Ethics Institute promotes dedicated ethics research and leadership from his home at Penn State College of the Liberal Arts.

• Jim AC Everett
  Lecturer (assistant professor) for psychology
  University of Kent

  BILD: Picture: University of Kent

• Daryl Cameron
  Research Associate, Rock Ethics Institute
  Asst. Professor of Psychology
  Penn State College of the Liberal Arts

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