Thesis advisor: Karen Arnold / Liberal education has long claimed moral education to be a chief aim of its educational format. Liberal education supporters regularly assert its unique ability to foster moral and ethical development in students, but data regarding higher education's efficacy in promoting moral development are limited. Additionally, the educational goal of moral development suffers important philosophical and epistemological critiques which bring into question its adequacy as a worthwhile aim of contemporary higher education. In order to discern whether higher education resources should be used to pursue this educational objective, liberal arts practitioners and supporters must identify clearly what moral education is, whether it is a facet of college student development worthy of our attention, and how to adequately measure it. This study offers a careful analysis of data related to student moral reasoning development gathered in an evaluation process of a liberal education course at a mid-sized research institution. The central research questions focus on aspects of student moral development and students' perceptions of the moral dimensions of coursework and highlight how these interact with students' abilities to receive and process course materials and activities. The research design employs a concurrent triangulation approach to quantitative and qualitative course assessment materials. James Rest's Defining Issues Test (DIT), a well-researched, neo-Kolhbergian measure of moral reasoning, and student writing were analyzed in pre- and post-course evaluations to investigate students' moral reasoning development as they entered, changed and left a year-long liberal arts course. Results reveal important features of student moral growth, illuminating how students at different levels of moral reasoning development and with varying degrees of change with respect to moral reasoning engaged with liberal education course materials and activities in quite distinct ways. This is an important step in uncovering the unique aspects of liberal education that may foster and sustain moral growth. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

This study investigated isiZulu-speakers' conceptions of morality. The relationship between concepts of the self and morality was also explored, as were influences of gender, family and community on moral reasoning. Fifty-two participants of both genders were interviewed. The sample was drawn from urban, peri-urban and rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal. The participants were invited to tell a story involving a moral dilemma they had experienced in their lives. The resulting narratives were analyzed using an adapted version of the Relational Method, an analytic procedure developed by Gilligan and her colleagues (e.g. Brown & Gilligan, 1991) to analyze narratives of real life conflict. Respondents considered morality to be a state of connection or equilibrium between the person, other people, and his or her social milieu. Connection is characterized by caring, just and respectful relationships among people and everything to which they stand in relation. Immorality, which is characterized by relationships devoid of care, justice and respect, results from a breakdown in social and communal relationships. Conceptions of morality were found to be dependent on respondents' understanding of the self. The view that morality is characterised by connection was associated mainly with the communal or familial self. However, tensions were also noted between competing concepts of the self within the person, namely the communal and independent selves. These tensions complicated respondents' choices in the face of moral conflict. Gender was also found to influence moral reasoning: in the face of moral dilemmas involving gender, men were concerned with the preservation of their masculine identities, while women found themselves positioned powerlessly by culturally defined narratives of femininity. These results are discussed with reference to traditional African philosophical frameworks and dialogical theory. The implications of the study to psychological theory, social science research ethics and health-related intervention policies are highlighted. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2003.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Dawn Person. Dissertation Committee: Lee Knefelkamp. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 226-240).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 108-115).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-115). Also available in print.

Afrikaans text / Die vlak van morele ontwikkeling van wit A:frikaanssprekende, wit Engelssprekende, swart Sotbosprekende, swart Xhosasprekende en swart Zoeloesprekende adolessente seuns en meisies in vroee, middel- en laatadolessensie (12-19 jaar) in Suid-Afrika is afsonderlik, tussenkultureel en vir geslagsverskille asook ouderdomsverskille ondersoek. Moontlike verbande tussen genoemde groepe se vlak van morele ontwikkeling, stedelike/plattelandse woonomgewing, vlak: van identiteitsontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie is ondersoek vir kultuur- en geslagsverskille. Wit en swart adolessente redeneer nie in dieselfde mate op die verskillende stadia van morele ontwikkeling nie en bulle openbaar oak verskillende morele ontwikkelingspatrone. Swart adolessente funksioneer betekenisvol meer as wit adolessente op laer stadia van morele redenering terwyl wit adolessente betekenisvol meer as swart adolessente op boer stadia van morele redenering funksioneer. Wit adolessente toon 'n morele ontwikkelings­ patroon ooreenkomstig Westerse waardes en norme wat ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie. Swart adolessente toon 'n andersoortige morele ontwikkelingpatroon wat nie ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie nie. Met betrekking tot die wit adolessente groep bereik meisies betekenisvolle boer stadia van morele ontwikkeling as seuns. Wat swart adolessente seuns en meisies betreis geen betekenisvolle geslagsverskille ten opsigte van vlak van morele redenering gevind nie. Morele ontwikkeling verloop ooreenkomstig ouderdom in stadia volgens 'n spesifieke patroon. Jonger adolessente funksioneer in 'n grater mate op laer stadia van morele redenering as ouer adolessente terwyl ouer adolessente meer tekens van boer stadia van morele redenering as jonger adolessente toon. Verskille in die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente seuns wat uit 'n stedelike omgewing kom en die wat op die platteland woon bet nie voorgekom nie. Stedelike adolessente meisies funksioneer in 'n grater mate as plattelandse adolessente meisies op boer vlakke van morele ontwikkeling. Ten opsigte van wit adolessente het 'n betekenisvolle verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en vlak van identiteitsontwikkeling voorgekom. By swart adolessente is sodanige verband nie gevind nie. Geen verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie vir wit en swart adolessente in Suid-Afrika is aangetoon nie. Die bevindings is verklaar aan die hand van verskillende tipes sosialisering, sosiokulturele faktore, kultuur-historiese aspekte en adolessente se ontwikkelingkenmerke. / The level of moral development of white Afrikaans speaking, white English speaking, black Sotho speaking, black Xhosa speaking and black Zulu speaking adolescent boys and girls in early, middle and late adolescence {12-19 years) in South Africa was investigated separately, cross-culturally and with regard to gender differences and age differences. Possible relationships between level of moral development and urban/country living environments, level of identity development and locus of control orientation for the above­ mentioned groups were also investigated for cultural and gender differences. White and black adolescents do not reason to the same extent at different stages of moral development and they exhibit different moral developmental patterns. Black adolescents function significantly more than white adolescents at lower stages of moral reasoning while white adolescents function significantly more than black adolescents at higher stages of moral reasoning. White adolescents reveal a moral developmental pattern in line with Western values and norms which corresponds with Kohlberg's theory. Black adolescents reveal a different moral developmental pattern which does not correspond with Kohlberg's theory. With regard to the white adolescent group, girls reach significantly higher stages of moral development than boys. With regard to black adolescent boys and girls, no significant gender differences in level of moral reasoning were found. Moral development takes place in accordance with age in stages according to a specific pattern. Younger adolescents function more at lower moral reasoning stages than older adolescents while older adolescents display more signs of higher moral reasoning stages than younger adolescents. No differences in the moral development of adolescent boys who come from urban environments and those from country districts were found. Girls from urban environments function significantly more than girls from country districts at higher levels of moral development. A significant relationship was found between level of moral development and level of identity development for white adolesceJJtS. No such relationship was found for black adolescents. No relationship between level of moral development and locus of control orientation for white and black adolescents in South Africa was found. The findings were considered in relation to different types of socialisation, socio-cultural factors, culture-historical aspects and adolescent developmental characteristics. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sielkunde)

This study compares American and Turkish male and female university students in terms of moral orientation (justice and care) and Kohlberg's stages of moral reasoning to examine the influence of culture and gender on moral development. A total of 324 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 46 are administered the Defining Issues Test (DIT) and the Measure of Moral Orientation (MMO). Statistical analyses indicate Turkish participants reflect more postconventional reasoning, while American participants reflect more conventional reasoning, particularly Stage 4 reasoning. Analyses also reveal Turkish participants reflect significantly more care orientation and more justice orientation compared to American participants. These findings are discussed in terms of cultural and gender influences in moral decision-making.

<p>This is minor field study conducted in Gävle, Sweden. The purpose of the field study is to find answers to questions related to morality and spirituality with the main concern of investigating the phenomena in the gymnasium. Aspects of this presentation focus on the role of religion in moral development, on whether spirituality necessarily evokes a sense of morality or if they are entirely separate issues. This presentation also explains briefly what spirituality is, as well as expatiating on certain moral theories propounded by certain scholars and its relevance to the study. Since morality can sometimes be relative to persons in different places, I also did a brief comparative work by looking at the situation in Ghana and Sweden when it comes to morality.</p><p>The phenomenological method was chosen in conducting this research. In line with this I interviewed two students in the gymnasium, I distributed questionnaires to twenty three other students and I interviewed a priest twice to gather some information which was resourceful in organising this study. In Ghana, morality is averagely a matter of social importance and most persons, though not everyone, serve as a check to ensure that what are believed to be right actions are distinguished from wrong actions. Religion forms the core of spirituality for most Ghanaians. With 93.3% of the population claiming to be religious, this issue is not surprising. It is with much interest therefore that I conducted a fieldwork in Sweden to know the varied views in spirituality and morality. There are a lot of similarities to say, in terms of morality and spirituality in Sweden and in Ghana. However, the enormous differences cannot be left out.</p>

This is minor field study conducted in Gävle, Sweden. The purpose of the field study is to find answers to questions related to morality and spirituality with the main concern of investigating the phenomena in the gymnasium. Aspects of this presentation focus on the role of religion in moral development, on whether spirituality necessarily evokes a sense of morality or if they are entirely separate issues. This presentation also explains briefly what spirituality is, as well as expatiating on certain moral theories propounded by certain scholars and its relevance to the study. Since morality can sometimes be relative to persons in different places, I also did a brief comparative work by looking at the situation in Ghana and Sweden when it comes to morality. The phenomenological method was chosen in conducting this research. In line with this I interviewed two students in the gymnasium, I distributed questionnaires to twenty three other students and I interviewed a priest twice to gather some information which was resourceful in organising this study. In Ghana, morality is averagely a matter of social importance and most persons, though not everyone, serve as a check to ensure that what are believed to be right actions are distinguished from wrong actions. Religion forms the core of spirituality for most Ghanaians. With 93.3% of the population claiming to be religious, this issue is not surprising. It is with much interest therefore that I conducted a fieldwork in Sweden to know the varied views in spirituality and morality. There are a lot of similarities to say, in terms of morality and spirituality in Sweden and in Ghana. However, the enormous differences cannot be left out.

Afrikaans text / Die vlak van morele ontwikkeling van wit A:frikaanssprekende, wit Engelssprekende, swart Sotbosprekende, swart Xhosasprekende en swart Zoeloesprekende adolessente seuns en meisies in vroee, middel- en laatadolessensie (12-19 jaar) in Suid-Afrika is afsonderlik, tussenkultureel en vir geslagsverskille asook ouderdomsverskille ondersoek. Moontlike verbande tussen genoemde groepe se vlak van morele ontwikkeling, stedelike/plattelandse woonomgewing, vlak: van identiteitsontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie is ondersoek vir kultuur- en geslagsverskille. Wit en swart adolessente redeneer nie in dieselfde mate op die verskillende stadia van morele ontwikkeling nie en bulle openbaar oak verskillende morele ontwikkelingspatrone. Swart adolessente funksioneer betekenisvol meer as wit adolessente op laer stadia van morele redenering terwyl wit adolessente betekenisvol meer as swart adolessente op boer stadia van morele redenering funksioneer. Wit adolessente toon 'n morele ontwikkelings­ patroon ooreenkomstig Westerse waardes en norme wat ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie. Swart adolessente toon 'n andersoortige morele ontwikkelingpatroon wat nie ooreenstem met Kohlberg se teorie nie. Met betrekking tot die wit adolessente groep bereik meisies betekenisvolle boer stadia van morele ontwikkeling as seuns. Wat swart adolessente seuns en meisies betreis geen betekenisvolle geslagsverskille ten opsigte van vlak van morele redenering gevind nie. Morele ontwikkeling verloop ooreenkomstig ouderdom in stadia volgens 'n spesifieke patroon. Jonger adolessente funksioneer in 'n grater mate op laer stadia van morele redenering as ouer adolessente terwyl ouer adolessente meer tekens van boer stadia van morele redenering as jonger adolessente toon. Verskille in die morele ontwikkeling van adolessente seuns wat uit 'n stedelike omgewing kom en die wat op die platteland woon bet nie voorgekom nie. Stedelike adolessente meisies funksioneer in 'n grater mate as plattelandse adolessente meisies op boer vlakke van morele ontwikkeling. Ten opsigte van wit adolessente het 'n betekenisvolle verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en vlak van identiteitsontwikkeling voorgekom. By swart adolessente is sodanige verband nie gevind nie. Geen verband tussen vlak van morele ontwikkeling en lokus van kontrole-orientasie vir wit en swart adolessente in Suid-Afrika is aangetoon nie. Die bevindings is verklaar aan die hand van verskillende tipes sosialisering, sosiokulturele faktore, kultuur-historiese aspekte en adolessente se ontwikkelingkenmerke. / The level of moral development of white Afrikaans speaking, white English speaking, black Sotho speaking, black Xhosa speaking and black Zulu speaking adolescent boys and girls in early, middle and late adolescence {12-19 years) in South Africa was investigated separately, cross-culturally and with regard to gender differences and age differences. Possible relationships between level of moral development and urban/country living environments, level of identity development and locus of control orientation for the above­ mentioned groups were also investigated for cultural and gender differences. White and black adolescents do not reason to the same extent at different stages of moral development and they exhibit different moral developmental patterns. Black adolescents function significantly more than white adolescents at lower stages of moral reasoning while white adolescents function significantly more than black adolescents at higher stages of moral reasoning. White adolescents reveal a moral developmental pattern in line with Western values and norms which corresponds with Kohlberg's theory. Black adolescents reveal a different moral developmental pattern which does not correspond with Kohlberg's theory. With regard to the white adolescent group, girls reach significantly higher stages of moral development than boys. With regard to black adolescent boys and girls, no significant gender differences in level of moral reasoning were found. Moral development takes place in accordance with age in stages according to a specific pattern. Younger adolescents function more at lower moral reasoning stages than older adolescents while older adolescents display more signs of higher moral reasoning stages than younger adolescents. No differences in the moral development of adolescent boys who come from urban environments and those from country districts were found. Girls from urban environments function significantly more than girls from country districts at higher levels of moral development. A significant relationship was found between level of moral development and level of identity development for white adolesceJJtS. No such relationship was found for black adolescents. No relationship between level of moral development and locus of control orientation for white and black adolescents in South Africa was found. The findings were considered in relation to different types of socialisation, socio-cultural factors, culture-historical aspects and adolescent developmental characteristics. / Psychology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sielkunde)