Biology Students’ Morality When Engaged With Moral Dilemmas in the Human-Nature Context

Tore Van Der Leij,Arjen Wals,Martin Goedhart,Lucy Avraamidou

doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.729685

Abstract

Framed within the Four Component Model (FCM) of morality, this case study investigates the nature of Dutch 15–16 years old biology students’ morality in socioscientific issues in the human-nature context. In doing so, we discuss the morality of 12 students with data collected through individual semi-structured interviews following the implementation of a specially-designed curriculum. During the interviews the students discussed a moral dilemma related to the rehabilitation of seals. The findings indicate that students demonstrated aspects of all four FCM components. The students placed themselves in the perspectives of involved stakeholders, both affectively and cognitively. In addition, the students exhibited both rationality-based and emotion-based moral reasoning. A number of students experienced an “inner conflict” between cognitive and emotional reasoning, which affected their moral motivation and–as such–represented their moral reflection process. Students’ moral emotions were often decisive in their moral decision-making. Among the different kinds of moral emotions (compassion, guilt, duty, respect), compassion appeared most. The findings are discussed alongside implications for future research with a focus on encouraging aspects of students’ morality, which are an important part of citizenship skills.

Highlights

The grand challenges of our times, whether they are related to issues like climate change, loss of biodiversity, nano- and micro-plastics or responding to a pandemic, are highly complex but they are characterized by a high level of ambiguity and uncertainty
The findings of the study are presented using the Four Component Model of Morality (FCM) as a structure to showcase how and to what extent the students demonstrated each of the four morality components
We added the number of students who demonstrated the specific aspect

Summary

Introduction

The grand challenges of our times, whether they are related to issues like climate change, loss of biodiversity, nano- and micro-plastics or responding to a pandemic, are highly complex but they are characterized by a high level of ambiguity and uncertainty Trying to resolve such challenges has proven to be difficult, as there is no universal agreement about the extent to which these issues are considered problematic, and about their underlying causes and their solutions. This cocktail of complexity, ambiguity, uncertainty and anxiety can become toxic when people are prone to simplification, polarization and manipulation, they lack the ability to distinguish between scientific evidence and ungrounded claims and fail to see how values and ethics play into the way these challenges are perceived. By obtaining more insight into the nature of students’ morality, we intend to contribute to research and teaching aimed at developing students’ morality in science education

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Conclusion