Moral Development

Question 1

Defintion

Answer 1

The process of acquiring the social rules that differentiate right from wrong

Question 2

Relative Persepctive

Answer 2

Relative: What is ‘right’ is essentially a function of prevailing local values

Children acquire skills and behaviours by observing and imitating those around them. However children do not imitate everyone. Children are more likely to imitate those who have authority, are respected/ liked by society, if the behavior is vicariously reinforced and those who are similar to themselves

Bandura’s Bobo Doll study supports this as children were more likely to imitate the adult when the behaviour was positively reinforced

Question 3

Universal Perspective

Answer 3

Universal: There is a set of moral principles which transcend particular cultures and are acquired in the same way by most individuals in most societies

Piaget’s Moral Development: Characterised by a move from heteronomous to autonomous moral thinking. Children’s thinking on rules is tied in with the stages of cognitive development–> as their cognitive skills development so does their grasp on morals

1) Pre- Moral (amoral) minimal understanding of rules
2) Moral Realism (Heteronomous) Understanding that rules emanate from authority
3) Moral relativism (autonomous) Understanding that rules are the basis for organised and fair social relations