Psychological Explanation : Cognitive- Moral Reasoning

Question 1

What is the 3 supporting research for moral reasoning?

Answer 1

Thornton and Reid
Found that criminals that committed crime for financial gain show more immature reasoning than those who commit violent crime

Chandler- people with higher levels of moral reasoning sympathise more with the rights of others and show more conventional behaviours e.g honesty

palmer and hollin
compared moral reasoning between 210 female non offenders and 112 male non offenders and 126 offenders
used SRM which contains moral dilema related questions e.g taking things and keeping promises
offenders showed less mature moral reasoning as the non offenders.
this suggests that kholberg is right that criminals might be stuck in the pre conventional stage

Question 2

Thornton and Reid - support

Answer 2

Criminals committing crime for financial gain show more immature reasoning than violent offenders

Question 3

Chandler

Answer 3

People with higher levels of moral reasoning sympathise more with the rights of others and show more conventional behaviours E.g honesty

Question 4

negatives of moral reasoning

Answer 4

Generalisation - only male samples

Cultural bias - western samples used

may not be able to explain all offending behaviours, not all crimes

intelligence may be a more important factor

Question 5

palmer and hollin

Answer 5

compared moral reasoning between 210 female non offenders and 112 male non offenders and 126 offenders

used SRM which contains moral dilema related questions e.g taking things and keeping promises

offenders showed less mature moral reasoning as the non offenders.

this suggests that kholberg is right that criminals might be stuck in the pre conventional stage

Question 6

negative of moral reasoning- intelligence

Answer 6

intelligence may be a more important factor in determining the likelihood of an individual committing a crime.

it is a more quantifiable and objective characteristic compared to moral reasoning levels.