Moral Development In adolescence

Moral Development Moral development involves thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding standards of right and wrong. How do adolescents reason or think about rules for ethical conduct? How do adolescents actually behave in moral circumstances? How do adolescents feel about moral matters?

Moral Thought Piaget Heteronomous Morality Autonomous Morality Immanent Justice Heteronomous: Justice and rules are conceived as unchangeable properties of the world. Autonomous: Child becomes aware that rules and laws are created by people and one should consider the intentions as well as the consequences Immanent Justice: If a rule is broken, punishment will be meted out immediately.

Moral Thought Piagetian Cognitive disequilibrium theory Adolescents recognize that their set of beliefs is one of many. Hoffman developed Cognitive Disequilibrium theory which states that adolescence is an important period in which individuals recognize that their set of beliefs is but one of many and that there is considerable debate about what is right and wrong.

Moral Thought Kohlberg Preconventional Reasoning Heteronomous morality Individualism, instrumental purpose, and exchange Preconventional: individual has no internalization of moral value.

Moral Thought Kohlberg Conventional Reasoning Mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships, interpersonal conformity Social systems morality Conventional: Individuals abide by certain standards, but they are the standards of others.

Moral Thought Kohlberg Postconventional Reasoning Social contract or utility and individual rights Universal ethical principles Postconventional: Morality is completely internalized.

Moral Thought Influences on the Kohlberg Stages Modeling Peer Relations Why Is Kohlberg’s Theory Important?

Moral Thought Kohlberg’s Critics Moral Thought & Moral Behavior Assessment of Moral Reasoning Culture & Moral Development Gender & the Care Perspective

Actual Moral Dilemmas Generated by Adolescents Moral Thought Actual Moral Dilemmas Generated by Adolescents Fig. 8.4

Moral Thought Social-conventional reasoning focuses on thoughts about social consensus and convention. Moral reasoning emphasizes ethical issues.

Moral Behavior Basic Processes Reinforcement Punishment Imitation Behaviorists argue that children’s moral behavior is determined by the processes of reinforcement, punishment, and imitation. They also stress consistency and timing.

Moral Behavior Social Cognitive Theory Moral competence: The ability to produce moral behaviors. Moral performance: Performing those behaviors in specific situations. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes a distinction between moral competence and moral performance.

Moral Behavior Prosocial Behavior Altruism: Unselfish interest in helping another person. Forgiveness: Occurs when an injured person releases the injurer from possible retaliation.

Moral Feeling Psychoanalytic Theory Ego ideal: The component of the superego that involves standards approved by the parents. Conscience: The component of the superego that involves behaviors disapproved by the parents. Freud believed that the superego is the moral branch of the personality. Children internalize a parent’s standards of right and wrong. Children conform to moral standards to avoid guilt.

Moral Feeling Empathy Reacting to another’s feelings with an emotional response that is similar to the other’s response.

Moral Feeling Contemporary perspective Personality Moral Identity Moral Character Moral Exemplars

Contexts of Moral Development Parenting Discipline Love Withdrawal Power Assertion Induction Child-rearing techniques can involve love withdrawal, power assertion, or induction. Induction has been the most effective technique.

Parenting Moral Children and Adolescents Parents of moral children and adolescents: Are warm Use inductive discipline Involve children in family decisions Model moral behavior Foster an internal sense of morality

Schools The Hidden Curriculum Character Education Values Clarification Cognitive Moral Education Service Learning Hidden Curriculum is conveyed by the moral atmosphere that is a part of every school. Character Education is a direct approach that involves teaching students a basic moral literacy to prevent them from engaging in immoral behavior. Values clarification focuses on helping students clarify what their lives are for and what is worth working for. Cognitive moral education emphasizes helping student develop such values as democracy and justice.

Values, Religion, and Cults Beliefs and attitudes about the way things should be.

Changing Freshman Life Goals Values Changing Freshman Life Goals Fig. 8.5

Religion The Positive Role of Religion in Adolescents’ Lives Developmental Changes “Religion enlightens, terrifies, subdues; it gives faith, inflicts remorse, inspires resolution, and inflames devotion” Henry Newman Part of identity development includes addressing questions related to religious beliefs. Children’s thinking about religion is related to Piaget’s stages of cognitive development.

Religion Fowler’s Theory Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Stage 2: Mythical-Literal Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Stage 4: Individuative-Reflective Stage 5: Conjunctive Stage 6: Universalizing James Fowler developed a theory of religious development.

Religion Religious Indoctrination and Parenting Religiousness and Sexuality in Adolescence Adults tend to adopt the religious teaching of their upbringing. Adolescents who have a positive relationship with their parents are more likely to adopt their religious orientation. Adolescents who attend church are more likely to abstain from sex.

Cults What is the difference between a cult and a church? Who Joins Them? Phase of Life Potential for Abuse Cults have been defined ranging from dangerous institutions to fringe, often new, religious movements. Many people who join cults are in a transitional phase of their lives, and cults promise to fulfill their needs. The potential for the worst abuse is when the cult is physically and socially isolated from the outside community. Illustration copyright © 2002 www.arttoday.com. Used with permission.

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