Laboratory Manager, Institute of Cognition & Culture
Thesis Title: Adults' Implicit Reasoning about 'Moral Contagion'
About
I am a cognitive scientist interested in the relationship between contagion concepts and moral cognition for shaping cultural beliefs and practices, not least in the domain of religion.
I completed my Ph.D. at the Institute of Cognition and Culture at Queen's University Belfast in 2011. My doctoral research examined the role and function of disgust reactions and contagion concepts outside of the biological domain. Specifically, this research focused on adults' implicit reasoning about 'moral contagion'. I have also conducted cross-cultural studies in Guatemala City, including surveys on moral reasoning and disgust sensitivity among 'guajeros'- people who scavenge for their livelihood in the municipal garbage dump.
Currently, I am the laboratory manager at the Institute of Cognition and Culture in Belfast, UK.
In September 2012, I will begin a post-doctoral research position at the Center for Theological Inquiry in Princeton, NJ, USA, as part of an interdisciplinary research team on the project, "An Inquiry on Evolution and Human Nature."
Publications:
Lenfesty, H. (2012). Book review for J.L. Barrett, "Cognitive Science, Religion, & Theology". Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion.
Manuscripts in Preparation:
Lenfesty, H. "Implicit concerns about contagion in the moral domain."
Baumard, N., Chevallier, C., Liénard, P., Castelain, T., Lenfesty, H., Berniunas, R., Regnier, D., Sebesteny, A., & van der Henst, J-B. "Has morality evolved for the group or for the individual? Insights from cross-cultural psychology."
Lane, J., Lenfesty, H., Walls, E., & Brown, S. "EEG measurements of mu wave oscillations during observance of religious ritual and non-religious ritual action: a test of Lawson & McCauley's Ritual Form hypothesis."
Lenfesty, H. "Essentialist Beliefs about Human Nature."
