CHAPTER 10 Morality

Stage 3 & 4

"what people think?" Good boy or Good Girl Orientation "No one is above the Law" Social Order- Maintaining Morality meaning what is right is what conforms to the rules of legal authority

Kohlberg theory of Moral Development

- As children develop intellectually they will acquire important cognitive skills that will affect both their reasoning about prosocial issues and their motivation to act in the interest of others. -Refined and extended far beyond the autonomous stage of Piagets theory

Social Domain Theory

- Assumes children like kohlberg actively construct ways for understanding the world. -recognizes the contribution of cognitive development to moral understanding, and stresses the importance of peer interactions to moral development. Differing from Kohlberg the social domain theory distinguishes the following as social understanding rather than developmental progression ¤Moral - A form of social understanding concerned with welfare, justice, and rights. ¤Societal - A form of social understanding concerned with the rules and traditions governing social interactions within a group. ¤Psychological -

Kohlberg Moral Development Theory

- Morality is cognitively constructed over the course of childhood they become increasingly apparent. -Children's moral intuitions are defined by the stage of moral cognition they have reached -The shift from interacting with parents to peers is instrumental in children's progression

Level 1 : Pre conventional Morality

- Most of childhood - egocentric & authority dependent -The child conforms to rules imposed by authority figures to avoid punishment. or obtain personal rewards. - What is right is what one can get away with

According to Kohlberg Social experiences that might be responsible for furthering moral growth

-Advanced education- adults who go to college and receive many years of education reason more complexly about moral issues -Interactions with peers-contribute more to moral growth than one- sided discussion with parents. -Interactions with adults -Cultural Influences- Post conventional moral reasoning emerges primarily in Western Democracies

Age trends in empathy-altruism relationship Kindergarten 7 to 9 year olds

-provide egocentric explanations -begin to associate their own empathic emotions with those of story characters to infer the psychological basis for his sadness

Level 1 preconventional

-stage 1 & stage 2 ¤Most of childhood - egocentric & authority dependent n"What's in it for me?""Will I get in trouble?"

level 2 conventional

-stage 3 & stage 4 ¤Late childhood and early adolescence - interpersonal; social conventions (*typical of most adolescents & adults) n"What will people think?""No one is above the law"

Origins of Pro social Behavior

12-18 months will offer toys to their companions, and helping their mothers with household chores. Toddlers are capable of behaving compassionately 2 Year Olds are more likely to offer toys to peer when playthings are scarce rather than plentiful

Conscience

33 to 45 months olds consist of two components moral emotions one being moral emotions ( for ex. empathy and guilt) AND rule-compatible conduct (internalizing prohibitions, obeying other rules, complying with request)

Stage 1 : Punishment and Obedience Orientation Stage 2: Naive Hedonism

=The goodness or badness of act depends on its consequences. "Will I get in trouble?" The greater the harm done the more severe of a punishment it is. -A person conforms to rules in order to gain rewards or satisfy personal objectives. "What's in it for me?"

Altruism

Altruism defined in the book as: "a selfless concern for the welfare of others that is expressed through prosocial acts such as sharing, cooperating, comforting others, or helping"

Inhibitory Control

An ability to display acceptable conduct by resisting the temptation to commit a forbidden act

Committed Compliance

An orientation compliance based on the Childs eagerness to cooperate with a responsive parent who has been willing to cooperate with him or her.

Pro Social Behavior

Any action that is intended to benefit other people such as sharing with someone less fortunate than oneself, cuing a distressed person, cooperation with or helping someone to achieve in an objective.

Conscience II.

Evidence is rapidly emerging to support these newer ideas about early development of conscience. Consider, for example, that 2- to 21⁄2-year-old toddlers who have mutually responsive relationships with mothers who resolve conflicts with them calmly and rationally are more likely to resist temptation to touch prohibited toys at age 3

Evolutionary Theorists

Evolutionary theorist believe that altruism (a sense of prosocial concern) is predated gentecially programmed attribute motive that evolved because It helps to ensure the survival of species those that work together tend to survive longer

Level 2 Conventional Morality Late childhood and early adolescence - interpersonal; social conventions (*typical of most adolescents & adult

Individual now strives to obey rules and social norms in order to conviently win others approval or maintain social order. Social praise and the avoidance of blame is now important.

Level 3 Post conventional

Level 3: Postconventional-stage 5 & stage 6 ¤adolescence or young adulthood - autonomous; universal principles (mutual respect) n"For the greater good""Golden Rule"

Level 3: Post conventional (or principled) Morality dolescence or young adulthood - autonomous; universal principles (mutual respect)

Moral reasoning now defines right and wrong in terms of broad principles of justice and democratic law or on principles of ethics and justice. COULD CONFLICT WITH WRITTEN LAWS/AUTHORITY FIGURES

Morality

Morality is a set of principles or ideals that help that the individual to distinguish right from wrong, act on the this distinction, and feel pride in virtuous conduct and guilt (or shame) for conduct that violates one's standards. Consists of the 3 Moral Effect- The emotional component of morality, including feelings such as empathy, guilt, shame, and pride in ethical conduct Moral Reasoning-The cognitive component of morality; the thinking that people display when deciding whether various acts are right or wrong. Moral Behavior-The behavioral component of morality; actions that are consistent with one's moral standards in situations in which one is tempted to violate them.

Cultural and Social Influences on Altruism

Prosocial Conduct is much more apparent in collectivist societies Strongly stressed social goals make it almost obligatory than in individualistic societies, where they have more of a discretionary quality about it.

Limitations of Kohlberg's Theory

Rigid stage model Abstract focuses to heavy on moral reasoining rather than moral effect and behavior. Cultural Biases Although research indicates that children and adolescents in many cultures proceed through the first three or four of Kohlberg's stages in order,e have seen that postconventional morality as Kohlberg defines it simply does not exist in some societies. Gender Bias- Critics have also charged that Kohlberg's theory, which was developed from responses provided by male participants to dilemmas involving male characters, does not adequately represent female moral reasoning.

Stage 5&6

The Social-Contract Orientation- "For the greater good" The individual now views law as instruments for expressing the will of the majority and furthering human values. Morality of Individual principles of conscience- At the highest moral stage, the individual defines right or wrong on the basis of the self-chosen ethical principles. who could potentially be affected by a decision and arrive at a solution that would be regarded as "just by all" "Golden Rule"

Social Perspective Taking Prosocial moral reasoning

The ability to infer others thoughts, motives, intentions, and attitudes. The thinking that people display when deciding whether to help or share with, or comfort AS children mature they develop better role taking skills.

Inmate Justice

The notion that unacceptable conduct will invariably be punished and that justice is ever-present in the world.

According to Donald Campbell (Biological Theories)

altruism is a in part instinctive- a basic component of human nature. His argument hinged on the assumption that individuals, animals or human are more likely to receive protection from natural enemies and to satisfy their needs if they live together in cooperative social units.

Non industrialized countries such as

are high in Altruism , they contribute to the families well being/welfare by preparing food etc taught to suppress individualism , cooperate with others and avoid intepersonal conflict -Kenya -Mexico -Phillipines

Altruistic Individuals

are likely to survive and pass along "altruistic" genes to their offspring.

Western Industrialized nations

are low in altruism scores because they focus on individual goals such as cleaning room, rather than group goals. -Okinawa -India -United States

Cognitive Development theorist

argue that the growth of altrustic concerns depends on fundamental cognitive changes that occur during childhood (1) A gradual decline in egocentrism (2) The developmental of role-taking skills (3) The growth of empathic cancer and prosocial moral reasoning

behavioral definition of altruism

behavior that benefits another person, regardless of the actor's motives.

motivational/intentional

beneficial acts for which the actor's primary motive or intent was to address the needs of others.

Moral Rules-

focus on the welfare and basic rights of individuals and include prescriptions against hitting, stealing, lying, cheating, or otherwise harming others.

Kohlberg concluded

moral growth progresses through an INVARIANT SEQUENCE of three moral levels with two distinct moral stages.

Social Conventional Rules-

standards of conduct determined by consensus that indicate what is appropriate within a particular social context

Moral Disengagement

the ability to avoid self condemnation when engaged in immoral behavior by justifying ones actions as inappropriate, minimizing their effects, or blaming others for one's conduct

Where does morality come from?

̈ "concern for the welfare of others that is expressed through prosocial acts such as sharing, cooperating, comforting others, or helping" ¤ Young children will respond to the distress of others ¤ Even at a young age children also show understanding of fair sharing ¤ This is also seen in non-human primates ¤ Peers in distress are comforted through social contact ¤ When working together on a project many primates will also divide up the rewards of the task

Social Context

̈As we mentioned earlier, these norms are learned by children over the course of repeated interactions. ̈Early in life most of these interactions will be between the child and their parents ̈As children reach school age they begin interacting heavily with peers and with other adults ̈During late childhood and early adolescence the role of peers continue to increase