Political Value Judgments of Children: An Application of Moral Development Theory

Abstract

This is a pioneering study of political socialization exploring young children's concepts of political justice and political ethics. The study builds upon Piaget's theory of moral development in children, extending his concepts into the sphere of political morality and choice. A series of hypotheses is offered, and tests are used to measure whether Piaget's theories are relevant to judgments about political matters. The findings from the interviewing provide strong support for the thesis that moral development theory has major utility in the study of political socialization.