2.1b: Research methods experiments

Kohlberg

Conducted ‘Child as a moral philosopher‘ study.

75

Amount of children in the ‘Child as a moral philosopher‘ study.

Punishment and obedience

Stage one of preconventional morality, where a child defines ‘wrong‘ behaviour as that which recieves punishment.

Instrumental purpose

Stage two of preconventional morality, where a child defines ‘right’ behaviour as that which satisfy their own needs/wants.

Interpersonal cooperation

Stage three of conventional morality, where a child defines ‘right‘ as what is expected by others and leads to praise.

Social order maintaining

Fourth stage of conventional morality, where a child defines ‘right‘ as what social roles and norms defined by a larger social system believe.

Social contract orientation

Stage five of post-conventional morality, where laws are flexible and should change if they don’t correspond with people’s rights and majority interest.

Universal ethical principles

Stage six of post-conventional morality, where morality is determined by abstract moral principles and are chosen over the law.

Gilligan

Disputed Kohlberg’s findings as there is evidence females focus on personal relationships over justice, and said his dilemmas were too complex for young children to fully understand, as well as not being realistic.

Burton

Disputed Kohlberg’s findings by claiming that behaviour is more influenced by outside factors, such as punishment, than moral principles.

Milgram

Conducted the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

Teacher and learner

Roles that were assigned to the participants in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

‘You have no choice but to continue‘

Highest level of prod in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

‘Please continue‘

Lowest level of prod in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

300

All participants reached this level of volts.

65

Percentage of participants who reached maximum voltage (450V).

Milgram’s agency

Theory of obedience devised by Milgram.

Autonomous state

Part of Milgram’s agency theory where people direct their own actions and take responsibility for them.

Agentic state

Part of Milgram’s agency theory where people act as agents to the will of an authority figure, and place responsibility on them for their actions. This authority figure is percieved as qualified, an authority and able to take responsibility for the agent’s actions.

Ornell and Holland

Claimed the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘ lacked experimental realism, so people didn’t actually think they were electrocuting people.

Baumrind

Said informed consent was prevented as they didn’t know the true aims of the study in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

$4.50

Financial incentive offered to those who participated in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

83\.7

Percentage of participants who were glad to have participated in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

1\.3

Percentage of participants who regretted participating in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

40

Number of participants in the ‘behavioural study of obedience‘.

10-16

Youngest age group used in the ‘child as a moral philosopher‘ study.

22-28

Oldest age group used in the ‘child as a moral philosopher‘ study.

9

Amount of different moral dilemmas in the ‘child as a moral philosopher‘ study.