Attachment, Guilt, and Moral Development Theories

Temperament

inborn traits (mood/reactivity)

Parenting

caregiving interactions (modeling empathy)

Bowlby's ethological attachment

keeps infant near caregiver for safety

Secure attachment

Good emotion regulation, Strong empathy & helpfulness, Trust in relationships

Insecure attachment

causes trouble reading emotions, self-soothing, and forming close bonds

Stability of attachment style

Stable if caregiver behavior is consistent; Changed by major trauma or loss

Culture's impact on empathy

Different display rules (e.g. some cultures value emotional restraint, others open sharing)

Theory of mind

understanding others can hold beliefs different from reality/their own

Self-concept in early childhood

physical traits, actions, family roles

Self-esteem in early childhood

high/global

Self-esteem in middle childhood

realistic/domain

Self-esteem in adolescence

fluctuating/peer-driven

Guilt

Feeling you've broken a moral rule → motivates saying sorry and fixing things

Superego

"polices" the ego, punishing with guilt when you break its rules

Adult guilt skills

Empathy (feel another's pain); internal moral standards; sense of personal responsibility

Moral norms

You internalize laws, customs, and "right vs. wrong" messages from parents, teachers, media, peers

Bandura's moral behavior learning

Modeling (watching others) and reinforcement/punishment

Piaget's heteronomous stage

focuses on "rules are fixed" vs. "rules are flexible"

Kohlberg's preconventional level

Obedience & Punishment stage

Kohlberg's six stages

Preconventional, Conventional, Postconventional

Gilligan's ethics of care

An "ethics of care" where relationships, compassion, and responsibility guide moral choices