Moral development

Question 1

what is Piaget’s theory of moral reasoning

Answer 1

two stages;

Younger children: Outcome is more important than intention

Older children: Intention is as important

Question 2

why does moral reasoning change

Answer 2

Moral reasoning changes from rigid acceptance of rules of authorities to modifiable moral rules related to social interactions.

Question 3

what is stage 1; heteronomous morality

Answer 3

Characteristic of children who have not achieved stage of concrete operations (younger than 7 years)

• Rules and duties to others regarded as unchangeable due to social and cognitive factors
• Rigid acceptance of authorities’ rules
• Outcome is more important than intention

Question 4

there is a transition period; explain

Answer 4

children reach concrete operational stage (7-11 years) of cog dev

• more interactions with peers
• develop ability to perceive others perspectives and cooperate

Question 5

what is stage 2; autonomous morality

Answer 5

(11-12 years)

• rules are based on social interaction
• moral relativism; no longer accepting blind obedience to authority
• rules can be changed
• intention is important

Question 6

criticisms of Piagets theory (vaish 2010)

Answer 6

underestimating young children’s ability to appreciate role of intentionality in morality

Question 7

what is Heinz dilemma

Answer 7

Heinz needs a particular expensive drug to help his dying wife. The pharmacist who discovered and controls the supply of the drug has refused Heinz’s offer to give him all the money he now has, which would be about half the necessary sum, and to pay the rest later. Heinz must now decide whether or not to steal the drug to save his wife; that is, whether to obey the rules and laws of society or to violate them to respond to the needs of his wife. What should Heinz do, and why?

Question 8

what is Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning

Answer 8

specific stages which are interested in sequences through which children moral reasoning develops over time.

• discontinuous and heirrchial

advanced thinking increases each stage

• presented children with hypothetical moral dilemmas to assess moral reasoning

Question 9

the first stage is pre conventional level explain

Answer 9

self centred, focus on rewards and avoiding punishment

1. punishing and obedience oriented
2. instrumental and exchange oriented

Question 10

what is the conventional level

Answer 10

centred on social relationships, focusing on compliance with social duties and laws

3. mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships, and interpersonal conformity
4. social system and conscience orientation

Question 11

what is the post conventional level

Answer 11

centred on ideals, and moral principles

5. social contract or individual rights orientation
6. universal ethical principles

Question 12

what are some criticisms of Kohlberg

Answer 12

• not sufficient distinction between moral issues and social convention
• cultural differences
• reasoning not continuous
• gender differences not indicated; theory based on studies of boys

Question 13

socialisation defines male and female morals, explain

Answer 13

Differences in the way males and females reason morally because of the way they are socialized

• Males tend to value principles of justice and rights, whereas females value caring, responsibility for others, and avoidance of exploiting or hurting others

Question 14

what is the social domain theory of moral development

Answer 14

growth occurs gradually based on Childs interactions with peers and adults and socialisation from parents

• differences result for environments

Question 15

this theory sates that there are 3 domains of social knowledge

Answer 15

1. moral domain
2. societal domain
3. personal domain

Question 16

what Is moral domain

Answer 16

based on concepts of right and wrong, justice, applied across contexts

Question 17

societal domain

Answer 17

rules and conventions through which societies manintain order

Question 18

what is personal Domain

Answer 18

actions which individual preferences are the main consideration, there are no right or wrong choices

Question 19

is there any support for the social domain theory

Answer 19

by 3; violations of moral rules are more wrong than social convictions

by 4; moral transgressions are wrong even if adult doest know

Question 20

what are the cultural similarities and differences

Answer 20

• social judgement is determined by culture
• children’s ability to distinguish among the domains appear across cultures
• moral judegemtns; fairness, and welfare of others, are largely universal

Question 21

Blake 2015 tested culture

Answer 21

indian children become more moral between 3 and 8. us children stay the same across

Question 22

what is core morality

Answer 22

innate feelings of morality

Question 23

a study tested 8 month olds on morality

Answer 23

8-month-olds preferred actors who had good intentions, regardless of whether they achieved their goals

Question 24

what is prosocial behaviours

Answer 24

voluntary behaviour intended to benefit others; sharing, comforting, enforcing moral norms on others

Question 25

what are moral emotions

Answer 25

empathy, conscious, and fairness etc

Question 26

what age to infants help others

Answer 26

by 14 months, and they become more sophisticated by 18-24 months at 3 years they are more likely to help a friend than a neutral partner (instrumental helping) as they get older they require less explicit cues- better at perspective taking and finding ways to help rather than be asked to help

Question 27

what about sharing

Answer 27

emerges around 18-24 months - more challenging and happens less frequently than helping preschollers 3-4; say they should share equally with other but they don't share equally until 7-8 years

Question 28

does sharing vary across cultures

Answer 28

when its non costly; increases with age, across all cultures when its costly; decreases in middle childhood, rates diverge as children tracked towards the behaviour of adults in their own societies

Question 29

what motivates prosocial behaviour

Answer 29

altruistic motives; focus on others, concerns for others welfare empathy; emotional reaction to another's state or condition, matching the others state or condition sympathy; feelings of concern for another in reaction to others emotional state or condition

Question 30

what are non altruistic motives

Answer 30

reciprocity; by 3, children are more prosocial towards those who have been prosocial towards them reputation; strategic. e.g 5 year old share more and steal less when being watched by peer rewards; for a behaviour however, studies found that some rewards do not motivate young children prosocial behaviour

Question 31

explain manipulation

Answer 31

indirect reciprocity; do children selectively attempt to look generous in front of potential reciprocators group membership; do children care more about their reputation with in-group members than outgroup members

Question 32

explain a study on reputation and manipulation

Answer 32

4 and 5 year olds. children shared more in the most and least generous conditions than the randomly chosen one children shared more when their individual and group donations were public rather than private

Question 33

there are individual differences due to genetics

Answer 33

Identical twins are more similar in prosocial behavior than are fraternal twins. Specific genes identified that might contribute to individualized, prosocial tendencies

Question 34

what about temperament

Answer 34

Children's ability to regulate emotion are related to children's empathy and sympathy, and also to their prosocial behaviour

Question 35

socialisation; parenting influences it

Answer 35

they teach prosocial behaviours arrange opportunities for their children to engage in prosocial behaviour disciplining their children and eliciting prosocial behaviour for them

Question 36

what other factors of socialisation cause differences

Answer 36

1. parenting 2. cutlure 3. peer infleunces 4. interventions