PSYC 307 1st Edition Lecture 22Overview of Current Lecture - Moral Development o Theorieso Kohlbergo Carol Gilligan o Prosocial Behaviorso Antisocial Behaviors December 2 – Moral Development I. Theories of Moral Developmenta. Biologicali. Morality (altruism) is rooted in human natureb. Social Learningi. Morality is acceptance and practice of social normsc. Cognitive Development (Piaget; covered on exam, information in book)i. Moral reasoning and motivations of behavior 1. The reasoning behind behavior is critical for determining whether it is or is not moral 2. Change in moral reasoning is basis for moral development II. Kohlberga. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development i. Expanded upon Piaget’s theory (behavior appropriate to each stage) 1. Preconventional (2-6 years)a. Punishment and obedienceb. Instrumental purpose2. Conventional (6-12 years)a. “good boy-good girl” (morality of interpersonal cooperation)b. Social-order-maintaining3. Postconventional/principled level (12 years +)a. Social-contractb. Universal ethical principle ii. What motivates your behavior is externally influenced/driven1. Preconventional: avoid punishment/satisfy needs2. Conventional: understand and appreciate function of rules/norms a. Act according to conventions3. Postconventional: rules can be arbitrary (based on society)a. Universal ethical principles rooted in human nature, apply to all societiesb. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Judgmenti. Important points1. Stage theories – must happen in sequence (rate can vary)2. Universal – culture/society does not matter a. All individuals follow same progression to higher ethical principles 3. Cognitive development (especially perspective taking skills) determines progress through the stages a. The more you can think abstractly/take others’ perspectives, more likely you are to progress through stages ii. Critique of Kohlberg’s Theory 1. Spent most of career at Harvard testing middle aged white males a. Research may not generalize 2. People rarely get to stage 6 dilemma on his measures 3. Sex difference in scoring of dilemmas? iii. Other Issues 1. Can stage of reasoning predict behavior? a. Not under Kohlberg’s theory 2. Situational factors effect behaviora. Different influence depending on stage of reasoning 3. Hypothetical and practical reasoning III. Carol Gilligan a. Gender (sex) differences in moral reasoning i. Females – typically score in stage 3-4 (stuck in conventional level)ii. Males – typically get to postconventional level1. Socialize boys and girls differently b. Basis for gender differencesi. Females: focus on personal responsibility and relationships ii. Males: focus on justice and rules c. Evidence?i. Gender (sex) differences not reliably observedii. Factors that contribute to performance1. Gender-role identity2. Occupation a. Differences between types of occupations b. Greater differences between men and women 3. Education – higher educated score higher on Kohlberg’s dilemmasa. Exposed to more things and are doing more abstract thinking IV. Prosocial Behavior a. Altruism: showing behaviors that benefit someone else b. Theoriesi. Moral core (biological, sociobiological)1. Moral sense evolved to sustain collection action and cooperation2. Mutual gain, but sometimes requires personal sacrifice 3. Requirementsa. Moral goodness: empathize with others from beginning i. Evidence: early ability to feel 1. Empathy – emotional response2. Sympathy – feeling of concern b. Moral understanding and evaluation i. Evidence: preference for prosocial over antisocial individualsc. Retribution: there are consequences for people that do not behave like this 4. Karen Wynn: reaching task, helper vs. hinderer preference a. Rests on intention behind action (theory of mind)b. Attraction to helpful, positive character; aversion to negative character 5. Social evaluation in older infantsa. Hamlinb. Extends to actions of others (sharing)c. Extends to second person i. The enemy of my enemy is my friendd. Extends to food choices: cat reacting in prosocial/antisocial way i. Choose food to which cat reacted in prosocial way (model behavior) ii. Watch people you trust and use that information ii. Prosocial actions1. Social learning2. Cognitive development c. Acting in prosocial ways i. Age differences 1. Younger children don’t necessarily spontaneously share/help unless there is motivation to do so 2. More sharing/helping/willing to sacrifice/act in prosocial ways as kids age ii. Explanations1. Older children better able to detect when someone needs help/when cooperation is important 2. Competence/responsibility a. Older children feel more compelled and responsible toward situations 3. Role-taking: taking other’s perspectives 4. Emotional regulationa. Younger kids less able to regulate emotions 5. Attention regulation iii. Influences on prosocial/altruistic behaviors1. Genetics – modest contribution2. Environmental – cultural, reinforcement, modeling, parenting style V. Antisocial Behavior: aggression a. Aggression: harming someone that does not want to be harmed (culturally defined)i. Instrumental (proactive): aggression when there are blocked goals/really want somethingii. Hostile (reactive): aggression focused on being angry; more personal; reaction to others iii. Forms of aggression 1. Physical, verbal, relational (doing things to hurt people’s relationships)b. Development of aggressioni. Ages 6-7; more instrumental aggression ii. Ages 7+; more hostile aggression c. Types of aggressive childreni. Hot-headed children: respond reflexively and negatively toward others (interpretation of others)ii. Cold-blooded children: use aggressive behaviors just because the strategies work d. Sex differencesi. Differ on type of aggression1. Women more relationally aggressive, men more physical in aggression e. Stability of aggressioni. High correlation between level of aggression in early childhood, and aggression in adolescence1. Tends to be related to temperament f. Origins and influencesi. Biological factors – small roleii. Cultural iii. Parenting
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