The Development of Moral & Social Judgments The Culture of Morality: Chapter 5 Jill Pence & Jennifer Steele

Character General Group Cultural National types/subtypes Represented in the individual Specific Linked to morality Honesty Compassion Courage Responsibility Loyalty Conscience

Early Theories of Morality Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory Skinner, Watson, Miller & Dollard Behaviorism Theory Piaget’s Social Development Theory Conflict with morality in society is biological, instinctual. Aggression is natural. Society must be regulated and controlled to prevent chaos. Moral behaviors are learned through habit and behavioral modification in society utilizing rewards, punishment, & imitation. Development stems from reciprocal interactions and understandings of experiences.

Moral Development Piaget Heteronomous Morality Cognition Experience Interpretation Mutual respect Shifts from unilateral respect Morality of Autonomy Purpose replaces fixed notion Kohlberg What is morality? “Child is a moral philosopher” 3 levels of moral development Preconventional Conventional Postconventional

Domains of Judgments Conventional Social systems Accepted norms Authority/Rules Uniformity Moral Include welfare, justice, and rights Harming others Physical Psychological Include social systems, but are not legitimated by them Impartial

Personal Choices & Freedoms Do not inflict harm Do not inflict harm Not regulated by conventional ways Not regulated by conventional ways May vary by culture and/or context May vary by culture and/or context Personal needs, interest, goals Personal needs, interest, goals Looking out for #1 Looking out for #1 Is it truly culture specific? Is it truly culture specific?

Real life vs Textbook Looked at a survey of colleagues, family, and friends to compare responses of moral development against the readings Looked at a survey of colleagues, family, and friends to compare responses of moral development against the readings 36 out of 70 responses 36 out of 70 responses Most over the age of 30 Most over the age of 30 All but 2 from religious background All but 2 from religious background

Character Seen by all participants as the way in which a person acts Seen by all participants as the way in which a person acts “my reputation” “my reputation” “ability to stand for something” “ability to stand for something” “response to situations in life” “response to situations in life”

Morality The Survey results: “how society thinks things should be—the accepted Norm” “how society thinks things should be—the accepted Norm” “set of values that each person takes on at some point in their lives…shaped by culture, religion, peers, personal identity…variable” “set of values that each person takes on at some point in their lives…shaped by culture, religion, peers, personal identity…variable” “principles that make things right” “principles that make things right” “socially accepted behavior” “socially accepted behavior” Results seem to follow more of the behaviorist beliefs of morality—societal norms and external factors Results seem to follow more of the behaviorist beliefs of morality—societal norms and external factors

Where is Morality Learned? Survey results: Survey results: “Everything we are exposed to” “Everything we are exposed to” “culture, religion (or lack there of), peers, personal identity” “culture, religion (or lack there of), peers, personal identity” “authority figures—mainly parental figures” “authority figures—mainly parental figures” “home, church, school, but some of it we are born with” “home, church, school, but some of it we are born with”

Can Morality only be learned in childhood? 31 “no’s” 31 “no’s” “it can shift as you grow” “it can shift as you grow” “life long process” “life long process” “no, we are deeply influenced by our environment. Every person we meet has a positive or negative effect on our minds and hearts and we seem to try to imitate the behavior that we most admire with the people we come in contact.” “no, we are deeply influenced by our environment. Every person we meet has a positive or negative effect on our minds and hearts and we seem to try to imitate the behavior that we most admire with the people we come in contact.” “They can as adults, but it will take life altering consequences…” “They can as adults, but it will take life altering consequences…”

Conclusion What do you think?