9: Morality

Question 1

define: social norms

Answer 1

Norms are a form of “social reality” prescribing people act in certain ways in certain contexts.

Question 2

define: moral norms

Answer 2

concerning the welfare of others evolved from two natural tendencies - to help not harm others

Question 3

define: conventional norms

Answer 3

do not directly concern the welfare of others

Question 4

what are the 3 properties of conventional norms?

Answer 4

• Idiosyncratic
• Agent-neutral
• Context-specific

Question 5

define: ontogeny

Answer 5

the development of an individual organism or anatomical or behavioural feature from the earliest stage to maturity.

Question 6

what is the first stages for human ontogeny?

Answer 6

Second-person morality - before age 3 (Preference) “I don’t like to see you suffer” “I like to help you” - Collaboration and sharing

Question 7

what is the second stages for human ontogeny?

Answer 7

Preschoolers’ norm-based morality (Agent-neutral) “People should not harm others” “People should help each other” - Guilt and shame

Question 8

at what age do children start reading the intentions of others?

Answer 8

1-3

Question 9

define: extrinsic motivation?

Answer 9

One does things because of external rewards (e.g., praise, money)

Question 10

define: intrinsic motivation

Answer 10

One does things because it feels nice and right

Question 11

How do different contexts of an adult receiving help influence a child’s stress response

Answer 11

As long as the adult received help, regardless of by whom, children’s distress was reduced

Question 12

How does intention vs practise influence children’s motivation to help others?

Answer 12

Young children selectively avoid helping people with harmful intentions.

Question 13

At what age do children start intervening if someone is playing a game wrong

Answer 13

3

Question 14

When 2 children are given conflicting game rules, at what age can they negotiate this?

Answer 14

5

Question 15

what are the 2 types of protest?

Answer 15

Imperative protest: no, don’t do that
Normative protest: you should do X

Question 16

How do 2-3 year old respond to someone throwing an object of their own, the child’s or another child’s?

Answer 16

Both 2- and 3-year-olds protested frequently when their own object was involved.
Only 3-year-old children stood up for the property rights of a third party.

Question 17

why do children transgress?

Answer 17

Don’t know it’s wrong (failure of knowledge)
Didn’t consider that it would hurt someone else (failure of empathy/ perspective taking/ theory of mind)
Knew it was wrong or would hurt someone but did it anyway (failure of inhibition)