W8 L1: Moral Development

theories of moral development

  • sociobiological

  • psychoanalytic - freud

  • social learning perspective - bandura

Piaget’s theory of moral development

  • observations

  • open-ended interviews

  • talk about dilemas - intention vs. outcome

  • ask children what boy from 2 different stories is more problematic depending on the consequences of their actions

  • heteronomous morality: children up to 7yrs - outcome is more important, morality constraint

  • autonomous morality: 11/12yrs - intention seen as paramount, morality of cooperation

  • decisions driven by cognitive changes - associated with peer interaction

  • developmental change in morality

limitations

  • task demands

  • underestimated certain abilities in young children

- understanding of intention

- reasoning about authority figures

  • lack of clarity about what is changing when children get older

Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning

  • reasoning about hypothetical dilemmas

  • asking for reasonings

  • wife sick - husband asked to pay later - medic said no - should husband steal the drug? why?

  • 6 stages of development

  • level 1 - pre conventional (punishment, instrumental)

  • level 2 - conventional (good boy/girl, social system)

  • level 3 - principled, post conventional (social contrast, ethical principle)

limitations

  • not clear enough differentiation between moral issues a d social convention

  • cultural differences

  • overlooks gender differences

  • people advanced through a linear manner - discontinuous stage theory

gender bias?

  • carol Gilligan 1982-1993

  • reviewed studies and compared answers

  • jake 11yrs: dilema between different types of rights property and life, balanced both

  • amy 11yrs: impact of theft in relationship of husband and wife - good husband is prioritised

  • woman’s morality is different from what past studies have stated

  • Kohlber - lack of empirical evidence of gender differences

  • some studies have found that girls and women focus more on issues about caring about others in their moral judgement than justice compared to boys and men

cultural differences?

  • Miller & Bersoff 1992

  • 8, 12 and 21 yrs - americans and indians (n = 140)

  • dilemas involving conflicting interpersonal and justice obligations

  • man stolen wallet with train ticket to wedding of off (needed to be ther bc he had the wedding wrings) - no one gave him money. - found a jacket with enough money for a ticket + a ticket

  • ben should take the money or not?

results

  • indians - 84% yes, interpersonal reasons

  • americans 39% yes, more justice reasons

  • no moderation by ages

domains of social judgement

  • rule understanding in children

  • moral: violating others rights, damage to others property

  • social-conventional: violation of norms or conventions, disrupted social order and social attention

  • is this difference depending on social aspects?

  • Haidt et al. 1993 - depends by country (Brazil and US, 360 ppts)

the role of social experience

  • at home with family

  • at school

reasons for giving an apology or excuse

  • avoid punishment

  • promote positive relationships

  • looking at others feelings

  • defend/ improve social evaluation of self

- increases with age

- more common with social-conventional violations

- 4-9yrs old self conscious emotions become increasingly common after social-conventional violations