deve issues and debates Flashcards
what is morals and moral development?
refer to the standards of right and weong behaviour that can differer brtween cultures and can depend on the situation
childrens growing understanding of right anf wrong, and how they make moral decisions
what did piaget 1932 theory of moral development say?
suggesteed that moral undeestanding develops as with cognitive developmemt
heteronomous
age 5-10 a child believes rules csnnot be changed,
ideas of morality come from others around then such as parents and teachers.
tend t foxus in an actions consequences
autonomous
from 10 years old
a child knows that intentions of the action are important
an action with bad conseuqences can be a good action if intention was good.
understands that it can be right to change rules to benefit others and if everyone agrees.
morals are seen as agreed between people and chuld knows following rules is about more than the conseuqneces of not folliwjng them
what did kohlbergs (1958) theory of moral development say?
suggests that there are three distinct levels of moral reasoning each with two additional stages
LEVEL 1 pre-conventional morality
from 9 years okd
child believds rules cannot be cahanvrd, the consequences of the action whether punishment or reward makes it a good or baf action
STAGE 1
- focuses on the child obsying in order to avoid punishment
STAGE 2
- about self interest and whats in it for me, including what benefit can be gsined from moral actions
both are found in children are and are the basic view of right and wrong
LEVEL 2 conventional morality
young people and adults
young person/adult sees themselves as a good member of society and that is their starting point for what moral behaviour.
reasoning comes from group norms
STAGE 3
-about being seen as good and conforming to social rules, wanting to be liked
STAGE 4
- about maintaining social order by obeying authority which is a duty
LEVEL 3 post conventional morality
only about 10% of people reach this level
individual has their own idea about what is good and bad behaviour.
understand that there are universal moral principles rsther being for one society
STAGE 5
- about laws being social contracts which individuals enter into so there can ve differences between individuals according to which laws tehy have agreed to
STSGE 6
- understanding that morsl reasoning is abstract and there are universal ethical principles that must be followed, emphasises right and wrong actiond beyond individal laws
both stages go beyond social laws to what the individual sees as moral principles
what is heteronomous and autonomous
the belief that rules are put into place by others
the belief that rules can be decided by the individual person
weaknesses of kohlberg 1958 and piaget 1932 theories?
- both piages used stories that were artifical and might not represent real thinking, so lacked ecological validity, no real conseuqences in the stiry from the decisions that were made
-carol gilligan (1977) criticised kohlberg saying his male only sample meant his theory was abt male morality
what are nativist theories?
theories thst view morality as part of human nature
what are nativist theories?
theories thst view morality as part of human nature
what was damon 1999 on deceloping a moral self about?
explains how children develop an idea of their moral self which links to their development of understanding morality snd mord.
damon gives evidence thst such emotions are found universally in babies emphasies the nature arguement about moral development
diana baumrind found that the type of parenting affected moral development
damon concludes that moral identity cpmes from the many social infusncdx a child therefore children must hear a consistent message about shared standards in order to develop moral understanding
what was damon 1999 ideas about developing empathy and how it links to a childs level of understanding at different ages
early infancy
- chuldrens feelings towardds others are not different from their feelings towards themselves, there is global empathy
aged 1 to 2 years
- children realize others are upset, and this this stresses them, but they do not understand what to do about it
early childhood
- Children learn the others have a different view from their own and might react differently from them in a situation so they can be more responsive to someone’s distress
aged 10 to 12 years
- children start to realize that other people may live in poverty and have difficulties such as disabilities
what can help chuldren to develop a moral understanding?
children shoudl be given the chance to develop self control and accept social responsibility,
chuldren who experience different views and ways of looking at things may develop more in a moral sense, so such experienced can get tehm thinking
