How Morality Dvls and What Imds Dvlmnt - Literature review Example

How Morality Dеvеlорs and What Imреdеs Dеvеlорmеnt Name: Institution: How Morality Dеvеlорs and What Imреdеs Dеvеlорmеnt Introduction Morality development focuses on appearance, transformation, and comprehension of morality form childhood to adulthood. In this field, morality refers to principles guiding how individuals are supposed to treat one another taking into consideration justice, rights and welfare of others. Individuals’ understanding of morality varies with beliefs, attitudes, feelings and deeds that play part in moral concept (Johansson, 2002). Morality development psychology research focuses on queries of source and variations in morality across the lifetime. Brief history According to Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, moral development is stimulated by the suppression of individual’s selfish desires by standards of vital socializing values. Skinner (1972) also proposed that socialization is the major facilitator of moral development. However, Skinner focused mainly on the role of external forces in the moral development of an individual. Plaget proposed that it is necessary to study morality manifestation in children’s world. He also studied the factors that facilitate the moral development (Gilligan, 1982). Plaget stated that young children depend on authority directives and with age children become self-directed, assessing actions from sovereign ethics of morality. Kohlberg (1963) also viewed morality development as a deliberate attempt to boost how people coordinate and integrate (Gilligan, 1982). Kohlberg provided a research model that reflected changes in morality development across lifespan. Precisely, Kohnberg argued that development is facilitated by the selfish aspiration for punishment avoidance, societal functioning, and ethical standards considerations (Turiel, 1983). Kohnberg believed that the children and adolescents internalize moral values and culture of the parent and make them own. However, his argument has raised many debates as to whether it is perfectly accurate because his test involved only males (Hogg & Tindale, 2001). Turiel (2006) proposed a social field approach to social cognition describing how people distinguish moral, societal, and psychological notions from childhood across lifespan. This model has been supported by many research findings over the past forty years. It has been used to show how individuals distinguish moral rules from conventional rules. Turiel’s social domain theory demonstrates that children are young in moral standard development as previously proposed by other researchers (Johansson, 2002). Interpersonal influences on moral development in adolescents The interaction between teens, guardians, and peers has proven to have effects on their moral conceptualization and behavior (Philen, 2006).The personal interaction influence on moral development has been studied from two distinct perspectives which include; socialization and social domain theory. The social domain theory focuses on the ability of adolescents to differentiate moral from conventional behavior based on responses from guardians and peers. In young adolescents, adults often respond to their misbehavior by informing them about the effect of his deeds to others persistently in various aspects (Hogg & Tindale, 2001). Adults may also consistently remind the children concerning the rules and regulations in various contexts for instance in the classroom). Children then utilize these prompts in determination of morally and conventionally wrong behavior. Research from a socialization viewpoint focuses on the methods in which adults transfer principles of behavior to children through parenting practices and why children either fail to or internalize these values. From this research, moral development includes the increment of compliance and adhering to adult rules, appeals, and behavioral principles. Researchers demonstrated that parenting techniques differ in the degree at which they hearten children’s internalization of ethical behavior (Steins, 1992).The effects are highly influenced by age and temperament. For instance, tender parental discipline contributes to conscience growth in young adolescents with fearful temperament. Parental receptiveness and good orientation to young adolescents contributes to conscience growth in adolescents with a fearless temperament (Johansson, 2002). Evolution of Guiding Principles As youths undergo cognitive, social, and emotional development, their morality understanding broadens and their actions become almost perfectly in line with what they value and believe. Hence, moral development is a description of how these guiding standards evolve and is shown by the application of these principle guidelines in daily lives. Teenagers ought to make moral judgments every day (Gilligan, 1982). During younger ages, children’s decision making is greatly influenced by family, culture, and religion. However, as they approach the adolescent period, peers influence them more. Peer pressure exerts strong influences because peers play a vital role in a teenager’s life. Moreover, the development of the ability to reason abstractly gives youths a chance to know that rules and regulations are not as complicated as they would have previously imagined. Consequently, the teens start questioning the absolute authority by the guardians, teachers, government, and other entities (Shwalb, 2000). As teens reach the late adolescence stage, they become less rebellious because the establishment of their own identity has begun. At this stage, they have also developed their own belief system and their personal place in the world. Some opt to participate in activities that show their moral confidence (Steins, 1992).Such activities demonstrate that the teen has achieved the highest level of moral development and they have passion for the moral development. Such activities include; organization and participation in demonstrations and protests whereas others get involved in volunteer projects that uphold their ethical standards. In contrast, some youths have undergone lifetime experiences that hinder their moral development (Hogg & Tindale, 2001). Throughout puberty, adolescent’s moral development develops just as their bodies continue advancing. During the beginning of the adolescence (ages ranging from 11-13 years), teens begin to think abstractly and by the ages between 14-18 years, they start forming their personal moral codes. Their behavior during the mid adolescence period may not always comply with their moral principles because they are in the process of making connections. It explains why at this stage they may believe acts like smoking are bad, but experiment them anyway. By the end of this period, they are often capable of matching their beliefs with their behavior. During late adolescence (ages between 18-21 years), the developments of moral ideas concerning various aspects of life begin (Turiel, 2002). They start taking into consideration concepts such as fairness, peace, and loyalty. This progression was proposed by Lawrence Kohnberg who gave the six stages of moral development. According to Kohnberg, adolescents have already reached the third stage of moral development; the conventional level (Malti, 2013). Conventional level of moral reasoning This level of moral reasoning is usual to adolescents and young adults. Reasoning conventionally refers to judgment of morality of actions by making reference to the society’s views and expectations (Myers, 1993). The convention level is comprised of the third and the forth stages of moral development. Conventional morality includes the acceptance of societal rights and wrongs. At this level, the individual ought to obey the rules, regulations, and social norms even though there are no direct consequences associated with either obedience or disobedience. Obeying rules and conventions is usually unbending; however, the connection between rules and justice is rarely questioned (Lavoie & Wright, 2002). In stage three, the individual gets into the society by participating in social activities. This stage is also referred to as interpersonal accord and conformity driven. Individuals respond to approval or disapproval from other people as a reflection of society’s expectation and the roles perceived (Gilligan, 1982). They do their best to be either ‘good boy’ or’ good girl’ to live up to the societal belief; having the understanding that it is valuable to do so. Stage three way of thinking and reasoning judges the morality of any behavior by assessing its consequences. The evaluation is done in respect to an individual’s relations which by now include things like admiration, gratitude, and the ‘golden rule’ of desire to be liked (Moshman, 1999). At this period a person believes that being liked involves avoidance of acts which are socially unacceptable. In stage four, (also referred to as authority and social order obedience driven), obeying laws, sayings, and social conventions occurs due the significance of maintenance of a functioning society (Hogg & Tindale, 2001). Moral reasoning in this stage is above the need for self endorsement showed in level three. There is an ideal prescription of what is right and wrong. Everybody has an obligation to guide laws and rules. Violation of rules is morally wrong. Therefore, culpability is a vital factor in this level as it offers a separation of good domains from bad domains. Majority of societal members remain at this stage of morality development, where morality is driven by outside forces (Lavoie & Wright, 2002). Post-conventional level This stage is also referred to as the principled level. It is characterized by the realization that individuals are not attached to the society (Killen & Smetana, 2007). At this level, individuals tend to disobey rules that are not in line with their personal principles. Post-conventional moralists depend on their own set ethical principles which ideally involve liberty, human rights, and justice (Shwalb, 2000). Individuals who show post-conventional morality perceive rules as mechanisms that can be changed as long they maintain the social order and guide human rights. It has been speculated that many people do not get to this level of moral development (Hogg & Tindale, 2001). What Impedes Morality Development in Adolescents Some adolescents may have gone through traumatic experiences which include; physical, sexual, or emotional torture; death of parent or close companion; witnessed a merciless violence. Such experiences may cause them to have a negative perception about the world. They view the world as undeserved and unfair (Lavoie & Wright, 2002).They may have been in presence in a situation where adults make immoral decisions that do not value the ethical principles, causing these youths to have negative perceptions concerning societal values. Such youths hardly achieve their full potential and may never form healthy relations with others (Killen & Smetana, 2007). As much as the process of moral development may seem challenging to the parents, it is important for the well being of their children and eventual life time success (Malti, 2013). Long term video game playing has shown to have no discernible consequences on children’s advancement (Myers, 1993). However research has shown that violent games lead to low sense of compassion within adolescents who played them. Games that recompense players for activities such as killing, disfiguration, and torturing hinder moral development. According to Kahn, (1999), adolescents who play violent video games demonstrate low level of social-moral maturity. However, this effect only occurs in adolescents who spend long hours playing these games (Moshman, 1999). Further research shows that it is not video games that lead to poor morality development, but lack of good parental guidance. Parents ought to authorize what games a child plays, get partially involved in these games and assist the children in separation of fantasy from reality (Johansson, 2002). Conclusion Morality development occurs throughout lifetime. There are various theories explaining how morality develops. According to Kohnberg, adolescents have already reached the third stage of moral development; the conventional level. Most people do not go past this stage of moral development to the post-conventional level. Various issues hinder morality development in adolescents. Violent games lead to low sense of compassion within adolescents who played them. Some adolescents may have gone through traumatic experiences such as physical, sexual, or emotional torture; death of parent or close companion; witnessed a merciless violence. Such experiences may cause them to have a negative perception about the world. References Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: psychological theory and women's development. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Hogg, M. A., & Tindale, R. S. (2001). Blackwell handbook of social psychology. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell. Johansson, E. (2002). Morality in Preschool Interaction: Teachers' Strategies for Working with Children's Morality. Early Child Development and Care, 172(2), 203-221. Kahn, P. H. (1999). The human relationship with nature development and culture. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Killen, M., & Smetana, J. (2007). The Biology Of Morality: Human Development And Moral Neuroscience. Human Development, 50(5), 241-243. Lavoie, D., & Wright, E. (2002). Culture and enterprise the development, representation and morality of business. London: Routledge. Malti, T. (2013). Adolescent emotions: development, morality, and adaptation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass/Wiley. Moshman, D. (1999). Adolescent psychological development rationality, morality, and identity. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Myers, D. G. (1993). Social psychology (4th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Philen, R. C. (2006). Sex in Development: Science, Sexuality, and Morality in Global Perspective:Sex in Development: Science, Sexuality, and Morality in Global Perspective. American Anthropologist, 108(3), 553-554. Shwalb, D. W. (2000). The ‘Overwhelming Importance of Personal Relationships’ in Japanese Adolescents’ Thinking on Achievement and Morality. Human Development, 43(4-5), 230-234. Steins, R. (1992). Morality. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. Turiel, E. (1983). The development of social knowledge: morality and convention. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press. Turiel, E. (2002). The culture of morality social development, context, and conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More

as been supported by many research findings over the past forty years. It has been used to show how individuals distinguish moral rules from conventional rules. Turiel’s social domain theory demonstrates that children are young in moral standard development as previously proposed by other researchers (Johansson, 2002). Interpersonal influences on moral development in adolescents The interaction between teens, guardians, and peers has proven to have effects on their moral conceptualization and behavior (Philen, 2006).

The personal interaction influence on moral development has been studied from two distinct perspectives which include; socialization and social domain theory. The social domain theory focuses on the ability of adolescents to differentiate moral from conventional behavior based on responses from guardians and peers. In young adolescents, adults often respond to their misbehavior by informing them about the effect of his deeds to others persistently in various aspects (Hogg & Tindale, 2001).

Adults may also consistently remind the children concerning the rules and regulations in various contexts for instance in the classroom). Children then utilize these prompts in determination of morally and conventionally wrong behavior. Research from a socialization viewpoint focuses on the methods in which adults transfer principles of behavior to children through parenting practices and why children either fail to or internalize these values. From this research, moral development includes the increment of compliance and adhering to adult rules, appeals, and behavioral principles.

Researchers demonstrated that parenting techniques differ in the degree at which they hearten children’s internalization of ethical behavior (Steins, 1992).The effects are highly influenced by age and temperament. For instance, tender parental discipline contributes to conscience growth in young adolescents with fearful temperament. Parental receptiveness and good orientation to young adolescents contributes to conscience growth in adolescents with a fearless temperament (Johansson, 2002). Evolution of Guiding Principles As youths undergo cognitive, social, and emotional development, their morality understanding broadens and their actions become almost perfectly in line with what they value and believe.

Hence, moral development is a description of how these guiding standards evolve and is shown by the application of these principle guidelines in daily lives. Teenagers ought to make moral judgments every day (Gilligan, 1982). During younger ages, children’s decision making is greatly influenced by family, culture, and religion. However, as they approach the adolescent period, peers influence them more. Peer pressure exerts strong influences because peers play a vital role in a teenager’s life.

Moreover, the development of the ability to reason abstractly gives youths a chance to know that rules and regulations are not as complicated as they would have previously imagined. Consequently, the teens start questioning the absolute authority by the guardians, teachers, government, and other entities (Shwalb, 2000). As teens reach the late adolescence stage, they become less rebellious because the establishment of their own identity has begun. At this stage, they have also developed their own belief system and their personal place in the world.

Some opt to participate in activities that show their moral confidence (Steins, 1992).Such activities demonstrate that the teen has achieved the highest level of moral development and they have passion for the moral development. Such activities include; organization and participation in demonstrations and protests whereas others get involved in volunteer projects that uphold their ethical standards. In contrast, some youths have undergone lifetime experiences that hinder their moral development (Hogg & Tindale, 2001).

Throughout puberty, adolescent’s moral development develops just as their bodies continue advancing.

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