Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait Moral development is the process by which individuals acquire a sense of right and wrong, to use in evaluating their own actions and the actions of others
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait Moral development is the process by which individuals acquire a sense of right and wrong, to use in evaluating their own actions and the actions of others
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait 12.1 Piagets theory of moral development Piaget spent a great deal of time watching children play marbles((fI) and asking them about the rules of the game, Piaget felt that by understanding how children reasoned about rules. he could understand their moral development. His findings ares (1)There are no true rules before about the age of six Children of about 2 years old simply played with the marbles. From 2 to 6, they expressed an awareness of rules but did not understand their purpose or the need to follow them. They are egocentric and have difficulty taking the perspective of other people
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.1 Piaget’s theory of moral development • Piaget spent a great deal of time watching children play marbles(弹珠）and asking them about the rules of the game, Piaget felt that by understanding how children reasoned about rules, he could understand their moral development. His findings are: • (1) There are no true rules before about the age of six. Children of about 2 years old simply played with the marbles. From 2 to 6, they expressed an awareness of rules but did not understand their purpose or the need to follow them. They are egocentric and have difficulty taking the perspective of other people
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait 12.1 Piagets theory of moral development (2)Between the ages of 6 and 10, children begin to acknowledge the existence of rules,。① though they are inconsistent in following thei They see rules as being imposed by some higher authority and unchangeable. He called this phase heteronomous(他律的) morality, or morality that is subject to rules imposed by others, characterized by the view that rules are absolute. (moral realism)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.1 Piaget’s theory of moral development • (2) Between the ages of 6 and 10, children begin to acknowledge the existence of rules, though they are inconsistent in following them. They see rules as being imposed by some higher authority and unchangeable. He called this phase heteronomous(他律的） morality,or morality that is subject to rules imposed by others, characterized by the view that rules are absolute.(moral realism)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral Trait 12.1 Piagets theory of moral development 3)Between the ages of 10 and 12, they play the game and follow the same set of rules. They understand the rules existed to give the game direction and to minimize disputes between players. He referred to this stage as autonomous morality, the level at which children understand that people both make up rules and can change the rules, which are now seen as the products of people's agreements morality of cooperation)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.1 Piaget’s theory of moral development • (3)Between the ages of 10 and 12, they play the game and follow the same set of rules. They understand the rules existed to give the game direction and to minimize disputes between players. He referred to this stage as autonomous morality, the level at which children understand that people both make up rules and can change the rules, which are now seen as the products of people’s agreements.( morality of cooperation)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait 12.2 Kohlberg's stages of moral reasoning Kohlbergs stage theory of moral reasoning is an elaboration and refinement of piaget's Like Piaget, Kohlberg studied how children(and adults) reason about rules that govern their behavior in certain situations. Kohlberg did not study children's game playing, but rather probed fo for their responses to a series of structured situations or moral dilemmas. His most famous one is the following
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.2 Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning • Kohlberg's stage theory of moral reasoning is an elaboration and refinement of Piaget's. Like Piaget, Kohlberg studied how children (and adults) reason about rules that govern their behavior in certain situations. Kohlberg did not study children's game playing, but rather probed for their responses to a series of structured situations or moral dilemmas. His most famous one is the following:
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral Trait 12.2 Kohlbergs stages of moral reasoning In Europe a woman was near death from cancer One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2, 000, ten times what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman 's husband, Heinz went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said No. The husband got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife. Should the husband have done-that? Why?(Kohlberg, 1969)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.2 Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning • In Europe a woman was near death from cancer. One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2,000, ten times what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman's husband,Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said ‘No.’ The husband got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife. Should the husband have done-that? Why? (Kohlberg, 1969)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait 12.2 Kohlberg's stages of moral reasoning grouped these six stages into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional These three levels are distinguished by how the child or adult defines what he or she perceives as correct or moral behavior. as with other stage theories, each stage is more sophisticated and more complex than the preceding one and most individuals proceed through them in the same order Colby and Kohlberg, 1984)
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.2 Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning • grouped these six stages into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional • These three levels are distinguished by how the child or adult defines what he or she perceives as correct or moral behavior. As with other stage theories, each stage is more sophisticated and more complex than the preceding one and most individuals proceed through them in the same order (Colby and Kohlberg, 1984)
Chapter 2 Theories of Development I. Preconventional Level lI. Conventional Level nl. Postconventional Level Rules are set down by oth- Individual adopts rules, People define own values cTs and will sometimes subor in terms of ethical princi- Stage 1: Punishment and dinate own needs to those ples they have chosen to Obedience Orientation of the group. Expectations follow Physical consequences of of family, group, or nation action determine its good seen as valuable in own ness or badness right, regardless of Stage 5: Universal Ethical immediate and obvious Principle Orientation consecuences What's right is defined by Stage 2: Instrumental decision of conscience Relativist Orientation according to self-chosen What's right is whatever Stage 3:"Good Boy-Good ethical principles. The satisfies one's own needs Girl" Orientation, Good principles are abstract and and occasionally the needs behavior is whatever ethical (such as the Golden of others. Elements of fair. pleases or helps others and Rule), not specific moral ness and reciprocity are is approved of by them prescriptions (such as the present, but they are most- One earns approval by Ten Commandments) ly interpreted in a"you being“nice.” scratch my back, I'Il scratch yours" fashion Stage 6.: Social Contract Stage4:“ Law and Order” Orientation. What's right Orientation. Right is doing is defined in terms of gen- one's duty, showing respect eral individual rights and for authority, and main- in terms of standards that taining the given social have been agreed upon by order for its own sake the whole society. In con trast to Stage 4, laws are not“ frozen”- they can be hanged for the good of SOCI lety
Chapter 12 Moral Development and moral trait 12.2 Kohlbergs stages of moral reasoning Evaluation First, the scoring is somewhat subjective, and can lead to errors of interpretation Second, stages of moral development seem to be less domain general than Kohlbergs theory suggests. Third, Kohlberg's own finding that people can regress in their behavior points out the weak link that often exists between thought and action. Finally, the theory was originally validated on a relatively small sample of white, middle-class American males under 17 years of age
Chapter 12 Moral Development and Moral Trait • 12.2 Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning • Evaluation: • First, the scoring is somewhat subjective, and can lead to errors of interpretation. • Second, stages of moral development seem to be less domain general than Kohlberg’s theory suggests. • Third, Kohlberg’s own finding that people can regress in their behavior points out the weak link that often exists between thought and action. • Finally, the theory was originally validated on a relatively small sample of white, middle-class American males under 17 years of age
