Moral Development

What is morality?

organised system of values, rules and feelings guiding behaviour

• focus on process not outcome

• how systems emerge and mature, not what is correct

What are the moral codes of each life stage?

Newborn - no moral codes

children - rule bound

adults - motives, rights, obligations

What is banduras bobo doll experiment?

• age 3-6 sit in room with adult and bobo

• agressive, non aggressive, no model

• aggressive model - 2x physical and verbal abuse

• combined observed elements into new acts

• agressor unpunished - key motivator for enactment

What are the 4 stages of learning behaviour?

1. attention - notice and focus

2. retention- behaviour encoded and stored

3. motor reproduction- physical and cognitive ability

4. motivation

What is the difference between Bandura and Piaget’s theories of cognitive development?

Bandura - showed what children copy

Piaget - asked how they think about rules

What are the two stages that take children from egocentrism to perspective taking? (Piaget)

• Heteronomous (4-8 years) - moral realism - rules are fixed, handed down by authority- focus on consequences not intent

• Autonomous (8+ to adult) - moral relativism - rules are social contracts - reciprocity and fairness - intent becomes important

What are kolberg’s 6 stages of cognitive development?

1. morality is externally controlled

2. self interest

3. interpersonal relationships- approval of others

4. broader society expectations

5. social contract- interpreting and changing the law

6. personal conscience

What are Baumrind’s four parenting styles?

1. Authoritative - high control and high warmth

2. Indulgent - Low control and high warmth

3. Authoritarian- high control and low warmth

4. Neglectful - low control and low warmth

What are the timelines of moral development?

• early childhood - rules = fixed (heteronomous)

• middle school - intent matters, peer rule making

• adolescence- conventional concerns (belonging)

• emerging adulthood - social contract reasoning