Moral Growth & Development Essays - Ethics, Psychology, Philosophy

Moral Growth Development By Student Id# CPSY-2009-0884: Yinka L. Humes MGC5311: Moral Development Lecturer: Dr. Pan sy Brown 27 th July 2010 Moral deve lopment is the process through which children develop proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms, rules, and laws. Moral development is a concern for every parent. Teaching a child to distinguish right from wrong and to behave accordingly is a goal of parenting. Moral development is a complex issue thatsince the beginning of human civilization has been a topic of discussion among some of the world's most distinguished psychologists, theologians, and culture theorists. It was not studied scientifically until the late 1950s. Moral development fosters positive qualities of character, personality and behavior in children. According to Psychology Press, understanding the difference between right and wrong is the essence of moral development. The basic focus of moral development is the enhancement of a child's ability to relate naturally to other people. This will help a child function well in society, wit h respect for others. Jean Piaget was one of the first psychologists to explain that moral development in a child arises from her decision-making capabilities and quest to find fair and balanced solutions for the problems that face her. Elliot Turiel explained moral development from a comprehensive standpoint in his Domain Theory. He acknowledged that both morality and conventional elements make up moral development and that they mature in varying balances and degrees from person to person. Morality levels and standards vary greatly from one region to another, defined by the religion and culture of local people. However, universal morality extends respect and honor to others without infringing upon basi c rights a concept commonly instilled in children at a very young age. Lawrence Kohlberg conducted research on moral development, using surveys as his major source of assessment. He presented surveys with moral dilemmas and asked his subjects to evaluate the moral conflict. In developing his theory, he made an intensive study using the same survey techniques of the bases on which children and youths of various ages make moral decisions. He found that moral growth also begins early in life and proceeds in stages throughout adulthood and beyond which is until the day we die. Influenced by Piaget's concept of stages, Kohlberg's theory was created based on the idea that stages of moral development build on each other in order of importance and significance to the person. On the basis of his research, Kohlberg identified six stages of moral reasoning grouped into three major levels. Each level represented a fundamental shift in the social-moral perspective of the individual. At the first level, the preconventional level, concrete, individual perspective characterizes a person's moral judgments. Within this level, a Stage 1 heteronymous orientation focuses on avoiding breaking rules that are backed by punishment, obedience for its o wn sake and avoiding the physical consequences of an action to persons and property. As in Piaget's framework, ego-centrism and the inability to consider the perspectives of others characterize the reasoning of Stage 1. At Stage 2 there is the early emergence of moral reciprocity. The Stage 2 orientation focuses on the instrumental, pragmatic value of an action. Reciprocity is of the form, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. The Golden Rule becomes, If someone hits you, you hit them back. At Stage 2 one follows the rules only when it is to someone's immediate interests. What is right is what's fair in the sense of an equal exchange, a deal, an agreement. At Stage 2 there is an understanding that everybody has his (her) own interest to pursue and these conflict, so that right is relative in the concrete individualist sense. Individuals at the conventional level of reasoning, however, have a basic understanding of conventional morality, and reason with an understanding that no rms and conventions are necessary to uphold society. They tend to be self-identified with these rules, and uphold them consistently, viewing morality as acting in accordance with what society defines as right. Individuals at Stage 3 are aware of shared feelings, agreements, and expectations, which take primacy over individual interests. Persons at Stage 3 define what is right in