MORAL

DEVELOPMENT
By: Madeline Sharpe

WHAT IS MORAL DEVELOPMENT?

THOUGHTS, BEHAVIORS, AND FEELINGS CONCERNING INTERACTIONS
WITH SOCIETY.
THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS:
1. COGNITION (REASONING)
2. BEHAVIOR
3. EMOTIONS

COGNITION, BEHAVIOR, AND

EMOTIONS
COGNITION: WHAT WE CHOOSE IS RIGHT AND WRONG BUT ALSO WHY
WE CHOSE TO THINK THAT WAY.
BEHAVIOR: HOW WE BEHAVE WHEN PUT IN A DILEMMA
EMOTIONS: FEELINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH RIGHT OR WRONG
ACTIONS
IN MANY SITUATIONS MANY OF THESE ARE RESULTS OF EACHOTHER

THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF

MORAL DEVELOPMENT
1. MORAL REASONING: HOW PEOPLE REASON WHAT IS RIGHT AND
WRONG
2. MORAL BEHAVIOR: WHAT WE DO WHEN FACED WITH A MORAL
DILEMMA
3. MORAL EMOTIONS: HOW SOCIETY EVALUATES OUR THOUGHTS AND
BEHAVIORS

MORAL REASONING
Piagets theory
HETERONOMOUS: HOW BAD SOMETHING IS DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF
THE EVENT
EX. ANNE WRECKED 2 CARS EVEN THOUGH NEITHER ACCIDENTS
WERE HER FAULT
WHILE ANNES SISTER WRECKED ONE CAR BUT IT WAS HER
FAULT. PEOPLE IN
THIS STAGE WOULD SAY ANNE SHOULD BE PUNISHED.
AUTONOMOUS: HOW BAD SOMETHING IS ACTUALLY DENPENDS ON
HOW THE OCCURANCE HAPPENED.
EX. ANNES SISTER WOULD BE PUNISHED BECAUSE SHE IS THE ONE
WHO CAUSED
THE ACCIDENT.

MORAL REASONING
Kohlbergs
KOHLBERGS UNLIKE PIAGETS THEORY INVOLVED MORE THAN TWO
STAGES
STAGE 1. WHAT IS GOOD IS MORAL, WHAT IS BAD IS PUNISHED
STAGE 2. YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I WILL SCRATCH YOURS
STAGE 3. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO BE A GOOD BOY OR GIRL IN THIS
SOCIETY
STAGE 4. WHAT IS RIGHT IS LAW AND ORDER
STAGE 4 . WHAT IS RIGHT IS RELATIVE
STAGE 5. FOLLOW THE LAW UNLESS THE LAW IS UNJUST
STAGE 6. FOLLOW YOUR OWN PRINCIPLED CONSCIOUS

REINFORCING MORAL BEHAVIOR

CHILDREN LEARN MORAL BEHAVIOR BY REINFORCEMENT AND
PUNISHMENT
PARENTS INFORCING PUNISHMENT AND REINFORCEMENT IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO KNOW BECAUSE IT TEACHES THEIR CHILDREN MORAL
BEHAVIOR.
AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING IS THE BEST PARENTING STYLE TO USE
WHEN TRYING TO TEACH CHILDREN MORAL BEHAVIOR.

SOCIAL MODELING IN MORAL

BEHAVIOR
ALBERT BANDURA CAME UP WITHT EH THEORY THAT CHILDREN WILL
LEARN MORAL BEHAVIOR BY WATCHING OTHER CHILDREN.
TEMPTATION-RESISTING MODEL IS WHEN A CHILD IS ABLE TO RESIST
ACTING ON BAD BEHAVIORS.
- IT MUST BE VERBALIZED AND A GOOD REASON MUST BE GIVEN IN
ORDER FOR THE
RESISTING MODEL TO WORK.

MORAL EMOTIONS
NEGATIVE MORAL EMOTIONS: INHIBIT ACTIONS THAT VIOLATE MORAL
NORMS.
1. SHAME: NEGATIVE EVALUATION OF SELF
2. GUILT: EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE ACTUAL BEHAVIOR
POSITIVE MORAL EMOTIONS: MOTIVATE ALTRUISTIC BEHAVIOR
1. PRIDE: FOCUSES MORE ON BRINGING AN INDIVIDUAL CLOSER TO
THEIR
INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL STANDARDS
2. GRATITUDE: FOCUSES MORE ON ANOTHER PERSON ALIGNING
WITH AN
INDIVIDUALS INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STANDARDS

REFERENCES
Winsor, D.L., Murrell, V.S., & Magun- Jackson,S. (2015). Lifespan
development: An
educational psychology perspective. Boston, MA: Pearson
Learning Solutions.