Morality as a Verb: The Process of Moral Development Within the “Family Culture”

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to examine many different theories of moral development, view their similarities and differences, and expand upon the role of the family in teaching morality. There have been many stage theories developed in order to understand the process of moral development. In addition, many researchers have criticized the stage models for not adequately incorporating the role of culture in shaping a child’s moral stance. We believe that the child’s family (not necessarily an American Western view ofthe family) is crucial in directly and indirectly translating cultural values to children. We review some prominent stage theories to moral development as a point of departure for looking at the crucial role of the “family culture.” The family teaches morality to children by finding a balance between the forces of individuation and connection.