LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT

1. 13 A Topical Approach to LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT Moral Development, Values and Religion John W. Santrock

2. Domains of Moral Development What Is Moral Development? • Changes in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding standards of right and wrong • Dimensions: • Intrapersonal: values and sense of self • Interpersonal: focus on what people should do with regard to others

3. Domains of Moral Development Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development Rules are seen as unchangeable, removed from the control of people. Consequences of an act determine “badness.” (4-7 years) Heteronymousmorality Autonomous morality Becomes aware that rules and laws are created by people; in judging an action, one should consider actor’s intentions as well as consequences (10 years and older) Immanentjustice If a rule is broken, punishment will follow inevitably and immediately.

4. Domains of Moral Development Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development • Internalization—developmental change from behavior that is externally controlled to behavior that is controlled by internal standards and principles.

5. Domains of Moral Development Kohlberg’s Level 1:Preconventional Reasoning • Lowest level • No internalization of moral values • Moral reasoning controlled by external rewards and punishment • Stage 1. Heteronomous morality • Stage 2. Individualism, instrumental purpose, and exchange

6. Domains of Moral Development Kohlberg’s Level 2:Conventional Reasoning • Internalization is intermediate • Individuals abide by certain standards, but they are standards of others • Stage 3. Mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships, and interpersonal conformity • Stage 4. Social systems morality

7. Domains of Moral Development Kohlberg’s Level 3:Postconventional Reasoning • Highest level • Morality completely internalized • Some values, rights or principles may transcend the law. • Stage 5. Social contract or utility and individual rights • Stage 6. Universal ethical principles

8. Domains of Moral Development Age and Kohlberg’s Stages

9. Domains of Moral Development Kohlberg’s Critics • Too much emphasis on moral thought and not enough emphasis on moral behavior • More attention should be paid to the way moral development is assessed • Culturally biased

10. Domains of Moral Development Justice and Care Perspectives • Justice perspective—focuses on rights of the individual • Care perspective—views people in terms of their connectedness with others and emphasizes interpersonal relationships, and concern for others • Carol Gilligan argues that women may focus more on care than justice.

11. Domains of Moral Development Moral Behavior • Basic Processes • Reinforcement, punishment, imitation • Behavior is situation-specific • Resistance to Temptation and Self-Control • Influenced by cognitive factors • Social Cognitive Theory of Morality • Moral competence –based on awareness of moral rules and ability to produce moral behaviors • Moral performance - actually performing them

12. Domains of Moral Development Psychoanalytic Theory: The Super Ego and Morality • Ego ideal • Rewards child with sense of pride when child acts according to ideal standards • Conscience • Punishes child for behaviors disapproved of by making child feel guilty and worthless

13. Empathy • Reacting to another’s feelings with emotional response similar to other’s feelings • Cognitive component - perspective taking • Develops from infant’s global empathy

14. Domains of Moral Development Emotion and Moral Development: The Contemporary Perspective • When strongly felt, both positive and negative feelings contribute to moral behavior • Positive: empathy, sympathy, admiration, self-esteem • Negative: anger, outrage, shame, guilt

15. Contexts of Moral Development Parental Discipline and Moral Development • Love withdrawal • Power assertion • Induction

16. Contexts of Moral Development Morality in Schools: The Hidden Curriculum • Pervasive moral atmosphere that characterizes schools • Evidenced by classroom rules, modeling by teachers and administrators, texts and learning materials

17. Contexts of Moral Development Character Education • Direct moral education approach that involves teaching students basic moral literacy to prevent immoral behavior or doing harm to themselves or others • Examples: • Character Counts • Service Learning

18. Contexts of Moral Development Service Learning • Form of education that promotes social responsibility and service to community • Benefits the recipient as well as the student

19. Prosocial Behavior • Behavior intended to benefit others • May be a stable personal characteristic • Gender differences: females show more prosocial behaviors than males • kindness • considerateness • sharing

20. Altruism Unselfish interest in helping another person Reciprocity Obligation to return a favor with a favor Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Altruism and Reciprocity

21. Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Fairness: Principles for Sharing • Equality • Merit • Benevolence

22. Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Conduct Disorder • Age-inappropriate actions and attitudes • Violate: • Family expectations • Society’s norms • Personal or property rights of others

23. Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Juvenile Delinquency • Great variety of behaviors • Index offenses—criminal acts • Status offenses—less serious acts illegal only when they are performed by youth

24. Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Antecedents of Delinquency • Authority conflict • Covert Acts • Overt Aggression

25. Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior Violence and Youth • Early involvement with drugs and alcohol • Easy access to weapons, especially handguns • Association with antisocial, deviant peer groups • Pervasive exposure to violence in the media

26. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Values, Spirituality, Religion • Spirituality: a sense of connectedness to a sacred other • Values: beliefs and attitudes about the way things should be

27. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Changing Freshman Life Goals

28. Shifting values • Over last 20 years, young adults have shown an increased concern for personal well-being and a decreased concern for the well-being of others. • Two aspects of values, self-fulfillment and self-expression, characterize many of today’s youth.

29. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Positive Role of Religion in Adolescence • Religion important to most adolescents. • Those who view religion as meaningful part of life have: • Less drug use • Better grades • More social acceptable behavior • Positive role models • Possible services from inner-city religious organizations

30. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Religion and Sexuality in Adolescence • Aspects of religiousness related to • Fewer partners outside romantic relationships • Perception of high risk from unprotected sex • Responsible contraceptive use • Fewer sexual encounters

31. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Religion and Spirituality in Adulthood • Important to adults around the world • 70% of Americans religious • More important to women than men • Americans becoming less committed to particular religious faiths • Individual differences in religion in middle adulthood

32. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Religion in older adults • Increase in spirituality between late middle adulthood and late older adulthood • Related to well-being & life satisfaction • Self-esteem • Health • Longevity • Psychological benefits • Face impending death, accept losses of age • Find meaningfulness • Social community, generativity

33. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Level of Spirituality in Four Adult Age Periods

34. Values, Religion, Spirituality, and Meaning in Life Meaning in Life • Need for purpose • Need for values • Need for a sense of efficacy • Need for self-worth