moral development Flashcards
3 moral components
moral affect = emotional - consists of the feelings that surround right/wrong actions & motivate moral thoughts & actions
moral reasoning = cognitive - the way we conceptualize right/wrong & make decisions about how to behave
moral behavior = behavioral - how we actually behave when we experience the temptation to violate moral rules
piaget’s theory of moral development
4 stages
1. premoral period: first 5 years
2. heteronomous morality: 5-10
4. transition phase: 7-10
3. autonomous morality: 10/11 +
heteronomous morality
5 - 10 years
children view the rules of authority figures as sacred & unalterable
- strong respect for rules - rules are moral absolutes
- there is always a right & wrong side: right = following rules
- consequences more important than intention
- favor expiratory punishment
- believe in immanent justice
expiratory punishment
punishment for its own sake with no concern for its relation to the nature of the forbidden act
immanent justice
the idea that violations of social rules will invariably be punished in one way or another
autonomous morality
10/11 years +
children realize that rules are arbitrary agreements that can be challenged & changed with the consent of the people they govern
- rules can be violated in the service of human needs
- intentions are more important than consequences
- favor reciprocal punishment
- no longer believe in immanent justice
reciprocal punishment
treatments that tailor punitive consequences to the ‘crime’
piaget’s moral theory evaluation
- underestimates the age of moral development – starts earlier than he said & is not fully developed by age 10
- doesn’t consider culture - influences moral development = not universal
- based theory on his own children = social factors not considered
kohlberg’s theory of moral development
3 levels of morality - each with 2 stages
pre-conventional morality
1. punishment & obedience orientation
2. naive hedonism
conventional morality
3. good boy/girl orientation
4. social order maintaining morality
post-conventional morality
5. social-contract orientation
6. morality of individual principles of conscience
punishment & obedience orientation
the goodness/badness of an act depends on its consequences – child obeys authorities to avoid punishment but may not consider an act wrong if it’s not detected & punished
the greater the harm done or the more severe the punishment = the more ‘bad’ the act
naive hedonism
individual conforms to rules to gain rewards or satisfy personal objectives
there is some concern for the perspective of others – other oriented behaviors are ultimately motivated by the hope of benefiting in return
- “you scratch my back ill scratch yours”
some internalization starts to happen – but is still mostly based on social factors
good boy/girl orientation
moral behavior is that which pleases, helps or is approved of by others
people are often judged by their intentions
‘meaning well’ is valued & being ‘nice’ is important
social order maintaining morality
individual considers the perspectives of the generalized other = the will of society as reflected in law
what is right conforms to the rules of legal authority
reason for conforming is a belief that rules/laws maintain a social order that is worth preserving – laws always transcend special interests
social-contract orientation
individual views laws as instruments for expressing the will of the majority & furthering human welfare
laws that accomplish this & are impartially applied = viewed as social contracts we are obligated to follow
imposed laws that compromise human rights/dignity = considered unjust & worthy of challenge
distinctions between what is legal & what is moral begin to appear
morality of individual principles of conscience
individual defines right/wrong on the basis of self-chosen ethical principles of their own conscience
these are not concrete rules like laws – more like abstract moral guidelines or principles of universal justice that transcend any law that may conflict with them
kohlberg’s theory evaluation
- puts too much emphasis on moral reasoning & not enough on moral behavior
- is culturally biased – everyone goes through first 4 phases but phases 5 & 6 not found in all cultures
- parents influence moral development more than K thought
- has a gender bias – based on a male norm that puts abstract principles above relationships & caring for others
parents role in moral development
young children want to understand what is & is not moral– adults can help this by teaching morality
quality of parent-child relationship: parents who use warmth & mutual responsibilities instead of their power to discipline the child = increase the their internalization & self-regulation
love withdrawal, power assertion & induction
love withdrawal
withholding attention, affection, or approval to modify or control a child’s behavior – creates anxiety over a loss of love
power assertion
use of superior power to control the child’s behavior (e.g. spanking)
induction
explaining why a behavior is wrong & should be changed by emphasizing how it affects others & suggesting how they can repair the harm done
– only one that has a pos effect
- draws child’s attention to the consequences of the behavior for other
education’s role in moral development
there are different ways of including morality in education – the hidden curriculum = the moral atmosphere in a school – morality is transferred in this way
moral atmosphere consists of the rules of the school & classroom, the moral orientation of teachers, & text materials
character education, values clarification & cog moral education
character education
a direct approach to moral education – teaches basic morality to prevent them from engaging in immoral behavior – e.g., stealing, lying & cheating is wrong
moral behavior should be rewarded & encouraged & there should be rules against immoral behavior
values clarification
teaches people what their purpose in life is & what is worth working for
doesn’t tell students what their values should be – instead encourages them to set their own values & understand the values of others
cognitive moral education
education based on the idea that students should learn & appreciate things like democracy & justice
students are given lessons in which they discuss moral issues – teacher should not play too big a role
