Psychological Theories Flashcards
What are the four components of moral behavior?
- Moral sensitivity - the ability to see an ethical dilemma, including how our actions will affect others.
- Moral judgment: the ability to reason correctly about what ‘ought’ to be done in a specific situation.
- Moral motivation: a personal commitment to moral action, accepting responsibility for the outcome.
- Moral character: a courageous persistence in spite of fatigue or temptations to take the easy way out.
Describe emotional intelligence.
- The ability to monitor and manage one’s own emotions,
- The ability to combine empathy and intelligence to interpret emotions in others and emotional dynamics in groups.
- To use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior when appropriate.
The Four-Way test
Do the right thing... At the right time... For the right reason... In the right way (essential component of good leadership)
How was Jean Piaget’s study of boys playing marbles influential? What were the limitations?
Piaget studied boys playing marbles. He noticed that moral reasoning centered around justice.
Early childhood: someone else makes the rules (parents, authority figures) and you obey or you get in trouble. “Might is right.”
Discipline and structure were provided by the parents, and the degree to which the parents were angry indicated how bad the action was (the children only displayed guilt if they were caught)
Describe morality of children aged 6-7
Children cannot discern intent of morality at this age.
Punishment for little children is a way that they restore harmony with parents. Morality is externally, not internally, motivated.
10-12 year old morality (Piaget)
Favored reciprocal cause-and-effect punishement. Paid back aggression (eye for eye)
Could see the difference between accidents and malicious intent.
Observed that not all bad things were punished, and some good things went unrewarded.
Rules baed on cooperation and mutual consent.
Saw that lying erodes trust and respect.
11-12 years old, preferred distributive justice: influenced by motives, age, experience, circumstances, and varying degrees of responsibility.
Role of warmth and care (Piaget)
Love, warmth, and care help create positive self-image (“I am a good person”). Thus, behavior, confidence and capacity to learn are enhanced.
This sets the foundation for development of empathy.
Impact of Abuse (Piaget)
A child who has experienced toxic stress, abuse, neglect, a lack of love/nurture and similar stressors will be less able to develop moral reasoning. They will be less able to develop empathy for others and won’t be as able to build healthy bonds and attachments.
These are risk factors for future criminal behavior.
Why was Kohlberg’s study important?
Became famous for his 6 stages of moral development. Conducted a 20 year old longitudinal study. Has so much good data behind it.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development
Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment - avoid getting in trouble
Stage 2: Individualism and exchange “What’s in it for me?” (reduction in pain, increase in pleasure
Stage 3: Good boy/ good girl - makes me look good / gain approval of others
Stage 4: Law & Order - Because that’s the rule. That’s the law.
Stage 5: Social contract - For the common good and welfare of others
Stage 6: Principled Conscience - personal integrity, no matter the price
What did Moshe Blatt (1989) emphasize?
Worked with Kohlberg. He researched how schools and teachers could influence moral development.
Teacher led discussion groups of moral scenarios. Blatt found that students who were at higher levels were able to positively influence students at lower levels of moral reasoning.
When a student progressed from lower to higher levels, they didn’t tend to go backwards. This was also a significant finding that helped shape how offenders could be rehabilitated, through cognitive skills development.
Carol Gilligan’s (student of Kohlberg) view of moral reasoning.
moral reasoning is based not only on justice but also on responsibility and care. Ethics of Care needs to be added. Ethics of justice (Piaget and Kohlberg) are not enough.
Martin Hoffman (2002) “Head and Heart” explain.
- affective empathy and empathetic distress
- “feel what the other is feeling”
- children need socialization and teaching through “induction” (scenarios that teach principles)
- young offenders: induction and confrontation to address cognitive distortions
- empathy leads to concern about the harmful consequences of our behavior on others
- empathy plus moral principle of fairness
Explain the head and heart of. moral reasoning
- empathy for others strengthens, and is strengthened by, moral principle
- helps the person develop moral judgment that balances justice, fairness, rights of self and others, with responsibility and care for others
- it is often empathy that motivates others to “do the right thing” along with conscience (guided by principle)
Name 3 risk factors that limit development of moral reasoning
- adverse childhood events (neglect, abuse, trauma, poor attachment)
- lack of positive adult role models and guidance
- weak attachment to school
- antisocial peers and antisocial adult influence
- lack of structure, supervision, nurture, care
- unresolved bullying or victimization
- antisocial attitudes/behaviors
- lack of concern for others, driven by self-interest
