Social Cognition and Moral Development

Chapter 10

Social Cognition

Perceptions, thoughts, emotions, motives and behaviours of self and others

Theory of Mind (ToM)

Understanding that people have mental states and that these states guide their behaviours “putting yourself in someone else’s shoes”

Impaired in Autism, Schizophrenia, ADHD & some drug/alcohol addicts

Theory of Mind (ToM) helps

Predict behaviours, facilitates social understanding and interactions, and is used in pretend-play

False Belief Task

Tests ToM; 3 year olds often fail; 5 year olds often pass

False Belief (ToM) in Autism

Children and adolescents with Autism often struggle

Theory of Mind in Infancy

Imitation, understanding intentions, joint attention, pretend play, emotional understanding

NATURE influences on Theory of Mind

Adaptive for species, neurological maturation, mirror neurons

NURTURE influences on Theory of Mind

Language development, parents, siblings, cultural perspectives

Morality

Involves the ability to distinguish right from wrong, act accordingly, and experience pride or guilt

Cognitive Perspective on Moral Development

Conceptualizing right and wrong

Behavioral Perspective on Moral Development

How we behave when faced with a moral decision

Affective/Emotional Perspective on Moral Development

Feelings that motivate right or wrong actions

Level 1 – Preconventional Morality

Rules are external to the self

Level 2 – Conventional Morality

Internalized moral values

Level 3 – Postconventional Morality

Defines what is right in terms of broad principles of justice

MORAL BEHAVIOUR – SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY - BANDURA

Observational learning, reinforcement and punishment principles

self-regulatory mechanisms, approve or disapprove own behaviour moral disengagement

THE FUNCTIONS OF MORALITY – EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

Moral behaviour may have been adaptive; prosocial behaviours may have enhanced survival, working together more effective than working alone

Moral Systems

Interlocking sets of values, virtues, norms, practices, etc., that regulate selfishness and make cooperative social life possible

THE INFANT – EMPATHY AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Infants are predisposed to be empathic and learn that actions have consequences

Early Moral Training and Self Control

Children who can delay gratification (high self-control) were judged more academically and socially competent as adolescents

Lying

Requires an understanding of Theory of Mind and is associated with intelligence and positive development - part of moral/cognitive development

Hoffman (1970) Parenting & Discipline approaches

Love withdrawal, power assertion, and induction

Conduct disorder

Persistent pattern of violating rights of others, fighting, bullying, cruelty, little empathy

Adolescent antisocial behavior

Crime rates peak during this stage

two groups: early and late onset

False Belief (ToM) in Down Syndrome

Have lower IQ but pass

Shows that ToM does not relate to IQ

Cognitive moral reasoning theories (Kohlberg)

1. Preconventional - stage 1 & 2

2. Conventional - stage 3 & 4

3. Postconventional - stage 5 & 6

Moral reasoning stage 1

Punishing & obedience

Moral reasoning stage 2

Instrumental hedonism

Moral reasoning stage 3

‘Good boy/man’ or ‘good girl/women’ morality

Moral reasoning stage 4

Authority and social order

Moral reasoning stage 5

Morality of contract, individual right and democratically accepted law

Moral reasoning stage 6

Morality of individual principles of conscience

Age signs of prosocial are prominent

1-2 years

Age ToM develops

4-5 years but evident from infancy

Causes positive moral growth

Secure attachment, mutually responsive orientation, guiding/reinforcing helpful actions, early disciplinary encounters for wrongdoings, & talking with child about emotional consequences of behaviour

Strength of relationship between moral reasoning & moral behaviour

Weak due to situations, gut emotional reactions cultural ethics/norms

Dual-process models of morality

Weigh up costs & benefits & quick emotional-based gut intuitions when making moral decisions