Morality Development

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Morality Development

• EDU 330 Educational Psychology
• Daniel Moos

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Morality Development Thought Question

• A mans family member has just been diagnosed
  with a painful disease. Untreated, this
  individual will eventually die from the disease.
  However, treatment is very expensive. Though the
  man has attempted to obtain the necessary funds,
  he simply cannot come up with enough money. He
  decides to break into the medical supply center
  that supplies the treatment and steal just enough
  of the medication for his family member.

Are these actions morally justified?
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Morality Development Introduction (I)

• Why consider moral development in education?
• Moral issues embedded in curriculum (especially
  History)
• 75 of HS students admitted to cheating on tests
  (Bracey, 2005)
• Cheating may be on the rise from ES to College
  (Goodman, 2005 Selingo, 2004)
• May lead to other immoral acts after school (i.e.
  questionable accounting practices)
• Ultimately, beliefs about right and wrong
  influence behavior

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Morality Development Piaget (I)

• Responses to moral problems can be divided into
  two broad stages
• External morality View rules as fixed and
  permanent and enforced by authority figures
• Autonomous morality Develop rational ideas of
  fairness and see justice as reciprocal process of
  treating others as they would want to be treated
  begin to rely on themselves as opposed to others
  to regulate moral behavior

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Morality Development Piaget (II)

• Describe the moral reasoning Krystal, Talitha,
  and Dwain each demonstrate. (External or
  Autonomous?)
• "Listen, everyone.... I need to go to the office
  for a moment," Amanda Kellinger said as her
  students were completing a seat-work assignment.
  "You all have work to do, so work quietly on it
  until I get back."
• The quiet shuffling of pencils and papers could
  be heard for a few moments, and then Gary
  whispered, "Psst, what math problems are we
  supposed to do?"
• "Shh! No talking," Talitha said, pointing to the
  rules posted on the bulletin board.
• "But he needs to know so he can do his homework,"
  Krystal put in. "It's the evens on page 79."
• "Who cares?" Dwain growled. "She's not here. She
  won't catch us."

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Morality Development Kohlberg (I)

• Level I Egocentric orientation focusing on moral
  consequences for the self

Moral reasoning based on immediate consequences
for the individual. An act is moral if a person
isnt punished for it. It is immoral if the
person is punished.
1 Punishment - Obedience
Moral reasoning based on reciprocity. An act is
moral if a similar act occurs in return.
2 Market Exchange
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Morality Development Kohlberg (II)

• Level II The ethics of others. Typical of 10 to
  20 yr olds. Called conventional because moral
  reasoning linked to perspectives of, and concerns
  for, others (i.e. loyalty, obeying the law,
  family obligations)

Moral reasoning based on concern for others or
the opinions of others. An act is moral if others
demonstrate similar acts, or it helps others
3 Interpersonal Harmony
Moral reasoning based on rules, laws, and orderly
society. An act is moral if it follows rules or
promotes an orderly society
4 Law and Order
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Morality Development Kohlberg (III)

• Level III The ethics of principle. Called
  post-conventional because reasoning transcends
  societys rules. Understand that rules sometimes
  need to be changed/ignored.

Moral reasoning based on principled agreements
among people. An act is moral if it is consistent
with a principled agreement. (ex Bill of Rights)
5 Social Contract
Moral reasoning based on abstract principles. An
act is moral if it is consistent with an abstract
principle that transcends an individuals society.
6 Universal Principles
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Summary of Kohlbergs Six Stage Theory of
Morality Development   1 Punishment and
Obedience Moral reasoning based on immediate
consequences for the individual.   2 Market
Exchange Moral reasoning based on
reciprocity. An act is moral if a similar act
occurs in return.   3 Interpersonal Harmony
Moral reasoning based on concern for others
or the opinions of others.   4 Law and Order
Moral reasoning based on rules, laws, and an
orderly society.   5 Social Contract Moral
reasoning based on principled agreements among
people.   6 Universal Principles Moral
reasoning based on abstract principles.
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Morality Development Exercise (I)

• 1. If I stay out I will be in big trouble with my
  parents.
• Stage 1 Punishment and Obedience
• Preconventional Ethics Young children some
  teenagers
• Nobodys doing anything anyway so I wont be
  missing anything.
• Stage 2 Market Exchange
• Preconventional Ethics Young children some
  teenagers
• My parents and I agreed that midnight was fair,
  and you cant go back on your agreements.
• Stage 5 Social Contract
• Postconventional Ethics Middle school to high
  school students
• 4. If I stay out my parents will be worried.
• Stage 3 Interpersonal Harmony
• Conventional Ethics Middle school to high
  school students

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Morality Development Exercise (II)

• Its the curfew, so Ill be in by midnight.
• Stage 4 Law and order
• Conventional Ethics Middle school to high
  school
• students
• My friends have curfews, too, and theyre going
  to be home by then.
• Stage 3 Interpersonal Harmony
• Conventional Ethics Middle school to high
  school
• students

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Morality Development Gender Differences

• Are there gender differences? Do men and women
  approach moral dilemmas differently?
• Some suggest
• Men judgment on abstract concepts (justice,
  rules, individual rights)
• Women Interpersonal connections and attention to
  human needs
• Gender differences, according to Kohlberg...
• Ultimately, findings mixed
• Kohlberg focused exclusively on cognitive aspects
  of moral reasoning/development

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Morality Development Emotional Factors (I)

• Emotions Affective reactions to events reflect
  how we feel about changes in environment (Saarni,
  2002).
• Emotional Intelligence Ability to understand
  emotions in ourself and others
• Shame Emotion aroused when people recognize that
  they have failed to act/think in ways they
  believe are good
• Guilt Feeling derived from understanding that
  they have caused distress for someone else
• Empathy Ability to experience same emotion
  someone else is experiencing

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