UC Irvine

This chapter summarizes developmental theories and research on the intersection of culture, biology, and moral emotions. It proposes that cultural canalizations might be evident for the neurobiology of moral emotions, such as empathy and sympathy, in distinct U.S. ethnic/racial minority groups, focusing particularly on work with U.S. Latino/a children and adolescents. Research on cultural (e.g., ethnic identity, cultural values), socialization (e.g., parenting styles, parent and peer attachment), and neurobiological mechanisms linked to moral emotions is summarized. The authors advocate for developmental scientists interested in the development of moral emotions in U.S. Latino/a children, and in other ethnic and cultural communities (e.g., African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans), to adopt a developmental cultural neurobiology lens in order to advance a more expansive, inclusive, and nuanced understanding of the diverse paths of the development of moral emotions.