False Confessions: An Analysis using MAC Theory

Abstract

False confessions have only been successfully recognized and detected in recent years. However, the wide-scale recognition did not bring out a reduction in the frequency of false confession occurrences as no known policies were created in an attempt to eliminate them. Even more recently, morality-as-cooperation was theorized in an attempt to categorize morality into more measurable and graspable principles. Previous research focused on categorizing and understanding the surface causes of false confessions. Based on previous research, it can be concluded that the confession choices were made by the confessors themselves, raising questions about the evaluation process. This article attempts to understand the action of false confessions from a moral standpoint by applying the concept of false confessions to the morality-as-cooperation theory. Putting together this literature review, it’s indicated that almost all false confessions can be explained as the violation of morality-as-cooperation subprinciples including kinship, mutualism, reciprocity, division, and dovishness. The timely situation heavily influences individuals’ decision of whether or not to violate their morality to tell a costly lie.