ICL 2.0: Theories of Development Flashcards

Question

what is the definition of morality?

Answer 1

refers to a set of principles or ideals that help a person distinguish right from wrong and guide one’s actions when faced with dilemmas and problems learning theorists believe children acquire behavioral norms and values through observation, imitation, and reward. They conclude moral behavior is shaped by environment cognitive theories such as Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s describe children’s early moral beliefs as oriented toward power and authority

Answer 2

Piaget studied moral development by questioning children about dilemmas related to the violation of game rules and concluded that they progress through three stages 1. stage 1 = premoral stage 2. stage 2 = heteronomous morality 3. stage 3 = autonomous morality

Answer 3

before age 6 children exhibit little concern if any for rules

Answer 4

ages 7-10 children believe that rules are set by authority figures and are unalterable when judging whether an act is “right or wrong”, they consider whether a rule has been violated and what the consequences of the act are the greater the negative consequences, the worse the act

Answer 5

ages 11+ also considered morality of cooperation children believe that rules are arbitrary and alterable when the people who are governed by them agree to change them when judging whether an act is “right or wrong”, they focus on the intention of the actor than on the act’s consequences

Answer 6

Kohlberg extended Piaget’s theory to address more complex development in adolescence and adulthood he interviewed children of all ages by asking them questions about “dilemmas” and analyzing their reasoning behind their answers. He believed that moral development is universal and invariant Kohlberg's theory specifies six stages of moral development, arranged in three levels Level I = preconventional/premoral (before age 11) Level II = conventional/role conformity (age 11-late adolescence) Level III = postconventional/self-accepted moral principles (late adolescence/early adulthood)

Answer 7

preconventional/premoral = before age 11 moral values reside in external or in bad acts the child is responsive to rules but views them in terms of pleasant or unpleasant consequences of actions --> morality is something big people say they must do stage 1 = obedience and punishment orientation stage 2 = instrumental purpose/self-interest

Answer 8

obedience and punishment orientation fear of authority or avoidance of punishment as reason for behaving morally “ I won’t do it, because I don’t want to get punished” morality is external and the focus for the child is on the rules and the consequences for breaking them it's part of Level I: preconventional/premoral

Answer 9

instrumental purpose/self interest right action is based on satisfying the self's needs and occasionally others (vs. avoiding punishment) orientation to reciprocity and equal exchange of favors “you do this for me and i’ll do that for you” beginning to understand that there are different sides to an issue it's part of Level I: preconventional/premoral

Answer 10

conventional/role conformity = age 11-late adolescence moral values reside in maintaining the conventional order and expectancies of others and not for reasons of self-interest children believe that actively maintaining the current social system ensures positive relationships and societal order this stage corresponds to the age of concrete operations in the cognitive realm stage 3 = good-boy/good-girl orientation stage 4 = law and order orientation

Answer 11

good-boy/good-girl orientation orientation to approval and to pleasing / helping others conformity to rules because they want to maintain approval and affection of people (friends/family) and want to be a “good person” action is evaluated in terms of intentions “ I won’t do it because I want people to like me” it's part of Level II: conventional/role conformity

Answer 12

law and order orientation orientation to "doing duty" and to showing respect for authority and maintaining the given social order for its own sake. “I won’t do it because it would break the law” moral judgments based on rules and laws established by legitimate authorities – laws should always be obeyed and there are no exceptions for anybody concern is based on society as a whole it's part of Level II: conventional/role conformity

Answer 13

post conventional/self-accepted moral principles = late adolescence/early adulthood morality is defined in terms of abstract principles and values apart from unquestioning support for society’s rules and laws the standards conformed to are internal and decisions are based on inner processes and judgment concerning right and wrong stage 5 = contractual/legalistic orientation stage 6 = morality of universal ethical principles

Answer 14

contractual/legalistic orientation norms of right and wrong are defined in terms of laws or institutionalized rules which seem to have a rational basis but can be flexible Morally right action is consistent with democratically determined laws but laws can be changed if they interfere with basic rights when conflict arises between individual needs and the law, the law prevails because of its greater good to society it's part of level III: postconventional/self-accepted moral principles

Answer 15

the morality of universal ethical principles orientation not only toward existing social rules, but also toward the conscience and personal values the right action is controlled by internalized ideals/self-chosen principles and values and pleasing one’s conscience if one acts otherwise, self-condemnation and guilt result it's part of level III: postconventional/self-accepted moral principles

Answer 16

“In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get about $1,000 which is 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, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife. Should the husband have done that?”

Answer 17

Stage 1 – “You shouldn’t steal the drug because you’ll be caught and sent to jail if you do. “ Stage 2 – “If Heinz wants to risk jail to save his wife, it’s up to him, it’s his life; Same thing for druggist – it’s up to him to decide what he wants to do” or “He should steal the drug for his wife because she may return the favor some day” Stage 3 - “No one will think you are bad if you steal the drug, but your family will think you are an inhumane husband if you don’t. If you let your wife die you won’t be able to look anyone in the face again” Stage 4 – “He should steal it. Heinz has a duty to protect his wife’s life; it’s a vow he took in marriage. But, it’s wrong to steal so he would have to take the drug with the idea of paying for it and accepting the penalty of breaking the law later” Stage 5 – “Although there is a law it wasn’t meant to violate a person’s right to life. If Heinz is prosecuted then the law needs to be reinterpreted to take into account certain situations.” Stage 6 – “If Heinz doesn’t do everything to save his wife he’s putting some value higher than the value of life. It doesn’t make sense to put respect for property above respect for life itself.”

Answer 18

Preconventional Level: children accept rules of authority figures and judge actions by their consequences Conventional Level: conformity to social rules is important. Not for self-interest, rather to maintain societal order and gain approval Postconventional Level: move beyond unquestioning support for society’s rules/laws in favor of more abstract laws that may be broken in certain circumstances (conscience)