Measuring care-based moral development: The Ethic of Care Interview.

Abstract

This paper presents a recently developed instrument of care-based moral development: The Ethic of Care Interview (eci) (Skoe, 1998, 2008). Based on Carol Gilligan’s (1982) theory, the eci measures five levels of care-based moral thought. These range from an initial position of self-concern, through questioning of self-concern as a sole criterion; to a position of primarily other-concern, questioning of other-concern as a sole criterion; and finally balanced self and other concern. The stages involve a progressively more complex understanding of human interdependence and an increasing differentiation of self and other. The semi-structured eci interview consists of a real-life moral conflict generated by the participant and three standardized dilemmas. Administration and scoring as well as reliability and validity are described. A series of studies has shown that balanced consideration of the needs of self as well as others appears to develop gradually across childhood into young adulthood. Research findings point to the importance of care-oriented morality for human growth, especially identity and personality development. Further research with the eci is suggested.