Core Study 12- Lee (D)

Question 1

Background

Why is previous research a limitation?

Answer 1

Nearly all previous research research was conducted with children in Western countries

Ethnocentric

Question 1

Aim

What was the aim of Lee’s study into evaluations of lying and truth telling?

Answer 1

To investigate cross-cultural differences in children’s understanding and moral valuations of lying.

Question 2

Sample

How many Chinese children were recruited?

What was their economical status?

Answer 2

120 (mix of genders)

Unknown

Question 3

Why is the economical status of the Chinese students not valuable in the study?

Answer 3

Chinese culture does not allow for these cultural differentiations- they are all seen as equals

Question 4

Sample

How many Canadian children were recruited?

What was the economical status of the children?

Answer 4

108 (mix of genders)

Mostly middle-class

Question 5

Sample

Where were the children recruited from?

Answer 5

Elementary schools in their area

Question 6

Method

What type of experiment did Lee use?

Answer 6

Lab experiment (but with quasi elements: culture and age)

Question 7

Method

Whast experimental design did Lee use?

Answer 7

Independent measures design

Question 8

Design

What IV’s were present in the study?

Answer 8

• Culture (Canadian or Chinese)- quasi
• Age (7,9,11)- quasi
• Social/ Physical story (randomly assigned)
• Prosocial/ antisocial story

Question 9

Design

What DV’s were present in the study?

Answer 9

• Rating given to the ‘action’/ ‘deed’ in the story
• Rating given to what was ‘said’ (lie/truth)

Question 10

Design

What controls were present within physical/social and culture/age conditions?

Answer 10

• Prosocial/ truth-telling
• Prosocial/ lie-telling
• Antisocial/ truth-telling
• Antisocial/ lie-telling

Question 11

Procedure

How did the experimenter present the children with the stories?

Answer 11

He read them 4 short moral stories aloud, all accompanied by an illustration

Question 12

Procedure

What did the stories typically look like? (e.g. physical/prosocial/lie-telling)

Answer 12

Action:
“Alex decided to tidy up the classroom.”
Question 1:
“Is what Alex did good or naughty?”
Response to action:
Teacher: “Do you know who cleaned the classroom?”
Alex: “I did not do it.”
Question 2:
“Is what Alex did good or naughty?”

Question 13

Procedure

How were children asked to rate the action and what was said?

Answer 13

With a 7 point likert scale, ranging from ‘very, very good’ to ‘very, very bad’

Question 14

Procedure

What did the full likert scale look like?

Answer 14

• Very, very good
• Very good
• Good
• Neither good nor bad
• Bad
• Very bad
• Very, very bad

Use 3 stars for very, very bad and 3 x’s for very, very bad

Question 15

Procedure

How were children told to respond?

Answer 15

Either verbally or by pointing

Question 16

Procedure

How did testing take place?

Answer 16

Each child was tested individually

Question 17

Results

How did children rate prosocial behaviours in the prosocial/ truth telling situation?

Answer 17

All children rated prosocial behaviours similarly

Question 18

Results

How did Canadian and Chinese children differ when rating truth telling in the prosocial/ truth telling situation?

Answer 18

Canadian: each age- gave similar ratings to truth telling
Chinese: ratings became less positive as age increased (SELF-AGGRANDISEMENT- seen as boasting)

Question 19

Results

How did Canadian children rate lie telling?

Did this change as age increased?

Answer 19

Rated it negatively- as age increased, ratings became less negative

Question 20

How did the ratings of Chinese children as their age increased?

Answer 20

Changed from negative to positive- (SELF EFFACEMENT- seen as being humble)

Question 21

How did the ratings of antisocial/ lie/truth telling differ between the cultures

Answer 21

They didn’t- there was no difference

Question 22

How can moral reasoning be influenced according to Lee’s conclusions?

Answer 22

It can be influenced by our culture and society in which we live
Influence of social-cultural factors grows stronger as we age

Question 23

What word did Lee use to describe some aspects of moral reasoning, like judging antisocial lying as bad?

Answer 23

Some aspects of moral reasoning may be universal