MORAL IDENTITY, ALTRUISM AND MEANING IN LIFE IN TEACHER CANDIDATES

Abstract

This study aims to identify relations among meaning of life, moral identity, and altruism levels of teacher candidates and whether they vary depending on some variables. Among the quantitative research methods, the relational screening model, a subtype of general screening model, was used in this study. The graduates and seniors studying in Izmir and Manisa provinces are the teacher candidates who participated in the study. The Meaning in Life Scale developed by Akın and Taş (2011) was used to measure perception of meaning in life, the Moral Identity Scale developed by Yılmaz and Yılmaz (2015) was used to measure moral identity, and the Altruism Scale developed by Ummet, Eksi and Otrar (2013) to measure the altruism levels of participants as data collection instruments. According to the results, the level of altruism of the female was found to be statistically and significantly higher than the male; however, there was no gender-based difference on the level of moral identity and the meaning of life. Furthermore, the meaning of life level of graduate teacher candidates was statistically and significantly higher than senior students; on the other hand, the altruism and moral identity levels of teacher candidates differed depending on their graduation status. Both statistical significance and positive correlation were found between teacher candidates' perception of meaning of life, moral identities and the altruism of level. Consequently, the moral identity and altruism levels of prospective teachers were found to be predictors of the meaning of life in a statistically significant manner.