Moral Development Flashcards
Conscience
an internal regulatory mechanism that increases an individual’s ability to conform to standards of conduct accepted in their culture
-parents very important, especially in early development*
Best predictors of conscience (2)
1) Rational explanations
2) Secure relationships
Type of discipline that is bad for a child with a fearful temperament
Harsh
Piaget’s Stages of Moral Development (3)
1) Morality Constraint
2) Transitional Stage
3) Autonomous Morality Stage
Morality Constraint
blind obedience to rules, focus on consequences not intentions, imminent justice
Transitional Stage
rules change according to majority opinion
Autonomous Morality Stage
take intentions into account (do much older than what Piaget proposed), fairness, punishment should fit the crime
Morality correlates with _________
cognitive maturity
Type of parenting that slows moral development
Authoritarian - don’t give a why, kids don’t internalize rules
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
Similar to Piaget’s theory, discontinuous stages, more abstract vignettes than Piaget, focus on the child’s REASONING
3 Superstages Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
1) Preconventional
2) Conventional
3) Postconventional
Preconventional
focus on obedience to authority & rewards & punishment
Conventional
social norms, internalization of expectations
Postconventional
higher level, in adulthood
Preconventional Sub-Stages (2)
Stage 1 - Punishment & obedience orientation - motivated by fear of punishment
Stage 2 - Instrumental & exchange orientation - according to best interest or equal exchange
Conventional Sub-Stages (2)
Stage 3 - Interpersonal norms - good to others, what’s expected of you
Stage 4 - Social system morality - Uphold laws and contribute to society
Postconventional Sub-Stages (2)
Stage 5 - Social contract or individual rights orientation - good of society but some individual right supercede, freedom, life, liberty
Stage 6 - Universal ethical principles -Justice over law; abstract principles supersede laws
very few people reach this stage**
Criticism of Kohlberg
-culturally egocentric
-not everyone can reach all stages
-said it’s discontinuous when research shows its not
-related to cognitive ability and perspective taking
-medium relationship between moral reasoning and moral behaviour (people tend to reason above their behaviours, use lower reasoning when it suits them)
-gender difference
Eisenberg’s Dilemmas
Gave kids dilemmas between helping self and others, formed stages similar to Kohlberg but not as abstract, more about things that kids can actually understand (e.g. helping hurt friend on way to birthday party)
Eisenberg’s Dilemmas Stages (4)
1) Hedonistic Orientation
2) Needs-oriented Orientation
3) Stereotyped, approval-focused Orientation
4) Empathetic Orientation
Hedonistic Orientation
EXAM Q
self-interest, tit for tat
e.g. go to party or would only help friend if they bought them cake after
Needs-oriented Orientation
simple rules, help others, don’t think about why
e.g. help friend but don’t think about why
Stereotyped, approval-focused Orientation
help others because it’s what you’d want them to do for you
e.g. help others because you’d expect them to help you
Empathetic Orientation
truly identify with how person is feeling
e.g. think about how they’re feeling
Domains of Moral Judgement (3)
1) Moral judgment
2) Social conventional judgments
3) Personal judgments
Moral Judgment
-somewhat universal across cultures
-deals with issues of right/wrong, fairness, justice
-killing someone for no reason always wrong
-across contexts, supersede rules or authority
Social Conventional Judgments
-dependent on culture, rules and conventions
-customs that ensure social organization
e.g. caring for others, respect for elders - North America, if parents have Alzheimer’s will put them in home instead of taking care of them themselves, other countries there are no old age homes
Personal Judgments
-Individual preferences
-What clothes to wear
-No right or wrong choices
-e.g. who friends are, what time curfew should be
Age at which children differentiate between moral judgments & social conventions
Age 3 - early on!!!
Prosocial Behaviour
-doing things to help others - e.g. helping, sharing, comforting, caring
-increases over time
-related to lots of factors included age - prosocial behaviour increases with age
Types of Aggression (4)
1) Instrumental
2) Hostile
3) Reactive
4) Relational
Instrumental Aggression
-to meet needs, get something
-e.g. pushing to get toy or attention
-something that little kids (4 - 5 years) do, not something older kids do
Hostile Aggression
-unprovoked
-school-age - desire to hurt another person
-decreases with time
Reactive Aggression
-in response to something
-some research that Autistic children have more reactive aggression because they’re bullied more so lash out in response
Relational Aggression
-increases over time, especially among girls
-e.g. telling lies about someone, gossiping
Does aggression increase or decrease over time?
Decrease (although violent crime increases in adolescence)
When does bullying peak?
Middle school
Differences in aggression between boys and girls
-don’t differ in AMOUNT of aggression
-differ in WAY they express aggression
-boys –> overt aggression (physical and verbal)
-girls –> relationship aggression
Consistency of Antisocial Behaviour
More consistent if it starts early in childhood, especially among males
Characteristics of aggressive children
-hostile attribution bias - deficits in social cues, don’t know what to do other than be aggressive
-difficult temperament
-lack of empathy
Effects of parenting on aggression
-bad when parenting uses physical, consistent punishment, leads kids to become more hostile
-consistent across cultures
Is dad is aggressive towards child, who will child be aggressive towards?
a) dad
b) mom
b) mom - won’t be aggressive towards aggressor
What is the most important factor needed for intervention programs to be successful?
Parental involvement/buy-in
