I think it takes a very poor intelligence to need psychology/science to understand or justify what is going on underneath the hood. Sometimes the evidence is missing or misleading (or research is too simplistic) - and we end up taking a partial truth to be the complete truth. Science itself denies having a final answer, yet we misread research findings as the absolute truth. If we know from mindfulness of our own minds and actions what actually happens we dont need psychology to somehow 'prove' it as well.
Society would do away with fines, prison and probation if punishment didnt help. If we look into ourselves we know that the threat of punishment, and the inevitability of it after the act has been committed, weighs into the decision whether we do something wrong or not. A person would be more inclined to do a bad deed if there was a chance that he/she would not be found out-say on a desert island- hence no punishment/consequence call it what you will. Where would you park your car if you would not be fined? Punishment and the threat of it works despite pop psychology.
As to how we can remind other to have hiri and otappa- well modelling good behavior comes to mind, setting ethical standards- saying them out loud before the fact helps, having deterents help, rewarding/praising good behaviour, frowning upon bad behaviour, direct advice in an appropriate setting (all about loosing face) if that is your role and/or if the person trusts you/is close to you. Contemplations which help remind people of morality help as well (meditation class setting). Reviewing (own) precepts help in improving them.
The concept of what it means to be intelligent also includes morality in the buddhas teaching, among other things:
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