I'm Josh Rottman, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Program in Scientific and Philosophical Studies of Mind at Franklin & Marshall College. I'm currently spending my sabbatical in the U.K., as an Academic Visitor at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford.
My research is situated at the intersection of moral psychology and cognitive development, and I primarily focus on studying the factors that lead certain entities and objects to be attributed with (or stripped of) moral concern. Some of my research also investigates the development of disgust, intergroup biases, and children's trust in moral testimony. I am guided by the hope that a scientific understanding of our (im)moral inclinations will provide us with critical information about psychological barriers and leverage points that will be relevant for improving the world.
I grew up in Western Colorado, and I'm always happy to get a chance to go hiking in the desert or mountains. Otherwise, when I'm not exploring the outdoors or thinking about teaching and research, I can often be found playing the ancient game of Go with my partner Lysa (a dentist and an artist), constructing imaginary worlds with my daughter Sage, or going on long walks with my dog Reuben.
My research is situated at the intersection of moral psychology and cognitive development, and I primarily focus on studying the factors that lead certain entities and objects to be attributed with (or stripped of) moral concern. Some of my research also investigates the development of disgust, intergroup biases, and children's trust in moral testimony. I am guided by the hope that a scientific understanding of our (im)moral inclinations will provide us with critical information about psychological barriers and leverage points that will be relevant for improving the world.
I grew up in Western Colorado, and I'm always happy to get a chance to go hiking in the desert or mountains. Otherwise, when I'm not exploring the outdoors or thinking about teaching and research, I can often be found playing the ancient game of Go with my partner Lysa (a dentist and an artist), constructing imaginary worlds with my daughter Sage, or going on long walks with my dog Reuben.
