Aspects Of Moral Development Research Articles

“I Know Not If I Delude Myself”: Rousseau’s Julie and the Ambiguities of Self-Deception

Rousseau has long been viewed as a champion of an ethic of sincerity that celebrates the honest moral sentiments of simple souls and opposes deception and dissimulation in all its forms. I, however, argue here that Rousseau proves surprisingly receptive to the benefits of self-deception and that he views it as an important—and perhaps necessary—aspect of moral development. I advance this broad claim through an analysis of his novel Julie, which (1) distinguishes between intentional and nonintentional forms of self-deception and (2) reveals the distinctive ethical advantages and risks associated with each. By uncovering the varieties of self-deceptive experience and revealing the problematic but indispensable role that it plays in the process of moral development, this essay points to important but undertheorized tensions in the relationship of epistemic and moral virtue.

Moralni razvoj i moralno vaspitanje učenika u školi

An increasingly frequent criticism of the school system refers to the insufficient connection between pedagogical and educational processes, i.e., the fact that the pedagogical function of the school is neglected in everyday school practice. The pedagogical role of the school can be discussed in general or more specifically, given the extent to which the school can contribute to encouraging the moral development of students and the operationalization of the tasks of moral education. So far, empirical research on moral education in our schools has been small, which indicates that this area is insufficiently researched and does not respond to the modern-day needs of pedagogical practice, especially the area related to the structure of school activities. The aim of this paper is to point out the potential and effects of curricular and extracurricular activities on the moral development and moral education of pupils. Focusing on the discrepancy between normative and practical functioning of schools, the authors emphasize in the introductory part of the paper the importance of the pedagogical role of the school from the aspect of moral development and moral education. Based on the review of the previous theoretical and research findings in this field, the characteristics of moral development are indicated as well as their compliance with the goals of moral education and the forms of pedagogical activities in schools. In addition, by considering the structure of school activities and the role of various participants in the educational process in the operationalization of the pedagogical role of the school, and based on modern pedagogical and didactic standpoints, the opportunities offered by and the effects of the curricular and extracurricular activities on moral development and moral education of pupils are considered as well. The authors of the paper emphasize in the conclusion which preconditions have to be met to make school activities functional in terms of pupils' moral development and moral education.

Ensuring Moral Development in Physical Education

The physical education setting offers a unique opportunity to educate the whole student. It would seem appropriate then, that physical education teachers place strong emphasis on the aspect of moral development and character building, however, this can be a challenging task. To accomplish this, the purpose of this article is to provide strategies to physical education teachers that can be easily implemented within their physical education classroom. Key strategies include modeling appropriate behavior, incorporating teacher and student led discussions, pinpointing positive as well as negative behavior, creating sporting dilemmas, using indirect teaching styles, creating a task-involving climate, and using principles such as the “hand of fair play” within physical education programs.

Relationships Among Play Behaviors Reported by College Students and Their Responses to Moral Issues: A Pilot Study

This study investigated whether the types and amount of playful activity and thought exhibited from early childhood to adulthood are related to aspects of moral development, such as empathy, behavior, and reasoning. It explored whether the assertions of theorists such as Piaget, Vygotsky, and Erikson regarding the facilitative effect of games with rules and pretense on moral development could be supported in a retrospective longitudinal study. The situated conditions of social settings, outdoor settings, and technology settings for the play were also recorded. Self-report data were collected from undergraduate students at a large midwestern university in the United States. Results indicated that a number of relationships among these variables lent support to such hypotheses. In particular, early pretense and game play were related to some aspects of reported moral development at college age. The social condition was also highly related. Significant relationships among pretense and moral development were higher for females, whereas games were more highly related to moral development for males.

Becoming good: The role of spiritual practice

Abstract Personal formation using the classical spiritual exercises is an important, but perhaps ignored, aspect of moral development that should interest philosophical counselors. Resisting dysfunctional desires should not be confused with altering such desires. Psychological strategies can help people to develop self-control. But while they may change behavior, they do not transform deep attitudes and inclinations. Spiritual strategies, by contrast, aim to root out dysfunctional dispositions. By de-conditioning unproductive wants and beliefs, spiritual formation develops full virtue. I begin by describing a model of human behavior, using anger as an illustration. I then review several psychological strategies for controlling behavior. Finally, I examine the role of spirituality (especially exercises such as meditation, journaling, self-examination, and fasting that are shared across wisdom traditions) in changing character.

Moral Development and Form of Participation, Type of Sport, and Sport Experience

The present study investigated aspects of moral development in sport, according to the form of participation, type of sport, and sport experience. 510 participants, 14 to 49 years of age (M=24.9, SD=8.3) who came from organized competitive sports included athletes (n=327), referees (n=138), and coaches (n=45) in football (n = 161), handball (n = 198), and basketball (n = 150). Years of sport experience ranged from 1 to 6, 7 to 14, and 15 to 30 years of participation in sports. The Defining Issues Test was given; analysis showed no significant differences in development of moral reasoning among participants across different types of sports, forms of participation, and years of experience in sport.

Editorial

Information systems (IS) is a fairly new discipline, and in our first paper Juhani Iivari, Rudy Hirschheim and Heinz Klein attempt to define a body of knowledge that encompasses the subject. They suggest five topic areas that IS experts should know about. Of these, they regard two as distinct in IS: the knowledge about IS applications and the process of IS development; and they attempt to codify the latter. In doing so, the paper reveals many concerns, but even so, this and subsequent papers can have a major positive impact on IS teaching and research. One recurring theme of IS development research concerns resistance to the introduction of new systems and, using data spanning a six-year period, Bill Doolin discusses how doctors reduced the potential of a hospital information system by their resistance. He considers this a result of the power that the doctors had in this situation and he analyses the case study using a Foucauldian perspective. Such an approach is often discussed from a purely theoretical perspective but here, we have empirical data illustrating the approach in practice. The many citations from the interviews help to make the arguments convincing as does the fact that this is a longitudinal study. Markos Goulielmos also looks at aspects of IS development, but this time at the process of IS development, including the roles of the actors involved. Goulielmos uses grounded theory to make sense of the interview data from five consultancy firms and six other large organizations. The paper makes many interesting observations about IS development in practice, and distinguishes between a broader, pragmatic view of an IS ‘approach’ from the more traditional focus on methodology. The final paper of this issue concerns the moral and ethical issue of unauthorized copying of software. But it is also a practical concern of course – how should companies attempt to prevent such copying? Mikko Siponen and Tero Vartiainen apply Kohlberg's theory of cognitive moral development to the issue and finds that the current preventative actions fail to take into account all the necessary aspects of moral development and are therefore unlikely to be fully successful. The research approach involves a hermeneutic study of texts (33 studies about the issue of unauthorized software copying) and the study argues for a more holistic approach to the problem.

To Tell a Tale: The Use of Moral Dilemmas to Increase Empathy in the Elementary School Child

Empathy, the ability to care about others, is a learned process and can be successfully modeled in the elementary classroom. Although there are various methods available for improving empathy and other aspects of moral development, one recommended strategy is the use of moral dilemmas and role-play. This strategy involves (a) the use of formal and informal observations, (b) informal interviews, (c) the choosing of appropriate stories, (d) various presentation methods, (e) large and small group discussions, and (f) closing techniques such as creative writing samples.

Implications of Cross-cultural Findings for a Theory of Family Socialisation

Traditional approaches to understanding the behavioural and emotional aspects of moral development are described. Research from other cultures is reviewed which suggests that the greater valuation of authoritative over authoritarian approaches in our own (individualist) culture may not hold in other cultures. This may be because individualist cultures have different goals from collectivist cultures (autonomy vs. interdependence) and because negative parenting affect and cognitions associated with authoritarian or power assertive rearing in our own culture may not be associated with authoritarian practices in other cultures. Data are presented indicating that autonomy support is valued more highly than power assertion as a socialisation technique in an individualist group but not a collectivist group. Implications for parenting and moral education are provided.

Mixed-Age Grouped Preschoolers' Moral Behavior and Understanding

Prior research on young children's moral development has been conducted primarily in same-age environments. The purpose of this present research was to investigate whether preschool children's moral (helping) behaviors are related to younger peer-directed internal state language (talking about a younger peer's feelings, wants, and abilities), perspective-taking skills, and attendance at a child development oriented, mixed-age child care center. Twenty-one pairs of children (older peer: 4- 6-years-old; younger peer: 2- 3-years-old) were videotaped while playing with four toys and three puzzles, which were presented singly. Results indicated that moral (helping) behaviors were positively and significantly related to frequency of vocal turns to the younger peer, to perspective-taking ability, and to length of attendance at a mixed-age center. Also, the data supported the developmental notion that perspective-taking ability is related to age. Mixed-age group care settings may facilitate young children's demonstration and understanding of some aspects of moral development, such as helping behaviors and perspective-taking ability.

The Inseparability of Morality and Well‐being: the duty/virtue debate revisited

Abstract One characterisation of the duty/virtue debate contrasts an ethics of duty that provides us with the moral knowledge to know what is right because it is right, to an ethics of virtue that enables us to choose what is right only because we want to, and not because we know that we must (Baron, 1985). This paper provides an account of the practical reasoning that moral agents employ in the pursuit of valuable goals based on Raz (1986) that undermines the basis for this contrast. The account shows how acquiring practical knowledge of our own valuable pursuits instructs us in the duties that we owe to others, just as being able to identify the duties we owe to others requires knowing what is necessary for living a meaningful and fulfilling life. It is argued that the interdependence of these two important aspects of moral development puts into question attempts by moral educators to distinguish sharply between them.

Cognition and affect in moral development: A critique of Lawrence Kohlberg

Although a theory of moral development is not itself a theory of moral education, it can have important implications for moral education. A case in point is the cognitive-developmental theory of Lawrence Kohlberg) Kohlberg and his followers have for several years been attempting to put into practice in classrooms and prisons the implications of this theory for moral education. His theory is being widely discussed by those interested in moral education, and it seems to be attracting an ever larger number of adherents. So, given the likelihood of its having significant impact on the moral education of children, it is important that attempts be made to see to what extent it can withstand critical scrutiny. A comprehensive critical examination would be a large undertaking. This paper has a more modest aim. It will consider Kohlberg's views on the relationship between cognition and affect in moral development. Kohlberg's theory is distinguished by its insistence that there is an invariant, and irreversible, order of stages of moral development. It is called a cognitivedevelopmental theory because, following Piaget, it maintains that each stage of moral development parallels a stage of cognitive development. For Kohlberg, there are 6 stages of moral development, and one cannot advance to a higher stage until one has gone through each of the preceding stages. The six stages can be divided into three levels: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional (or autonomous). One of the most persistent criticisms of Kohlberg's theory is that it does not do justice to the affective aspects of moral development) Although he is aware of this criticism, Kohlberg remains steadfast in focusing primary attention on the cognitive aspects of moral development, with the affective aspects receiving secondary treatment. The aim of this paper is to show that, despite Kohlberg's numerous attempts to respond to this criticism, his critics are essentially right. The upshot will be, not only that he should attend more fully and carefully to the affective aspects of moral development, but also that his particular conception of moral stages is in need of serious reconsideration.

Learning to Care‐‐The Development of Empathy

Abstract: Of the three aspects of moral development‐‐the development of empathy, moral reasoning and related problem‐solving strategies‐‐we know least about empathy. Possible reasons for this are explored. Some of the relevant literature is reviewed. A new stage‐theory by M. L. Hoffman is described which shows how the development of person permanence, the capacity for role‐taking, and the awareness of personal identity may create the conditions under which the young child moves from a primitive response to the mother's physical distress to sympathetic distress, altruism, and eventually to guilt. The article concludes with implications for socialization, comments relating to future research, and a comprehensive bibliography.

Dialectical aspects of moral development.

This paper defines the concept of the dialectic and places it within the context of a well-defined methodology, i.e. that of organicism, which contrasts markedly with the logical empiricism of much co