Master of Science / Department of Special Education, Counseling and Student Affairs / Kenneth F. Hughey / Judicial affairs play an integral role in the functioning of an institution and in the moral development of students. Thus, it is critical to have an understanding of the structures that are utilized, how to choose the most effective structure for one’s specific institution, and how to successfully bring about the moral and ethical development of students. The purpose of this report is to examine the judicial structures that are in place at institutions of higher education and their impact on students. Topics discussed include the history of discipline and current judicial structures that are commonly utilized (e.g., legalistic, collaborative, honor codes, and restorative justice), how they function, and if an ideal judicial structure exists. In addition, the report addresses the theoretical foundations of moral and ethical development through the work of Gilligan (1982), Kohlberg (1964), Perry (1981), and Piaget (1965), and provides perspectives and insight on the judicial process from both judicial and student affairs administrators as well as students who have experienced the process. The findings presented in the report include the transition from judicial systems run by administrators to those run primarily by students, and the importance of understanding theories of student moral development despite the process that is chosen. Also noted are the significant impact of a student’s moral development on their perceptions of the process and on their resultant behaviors, and the role the campus environment plays in regards to behavior and discipline. Additionally, the findings convey the importance of employing judicial structures that are effective for the student population at the institution, and not subscribing to a one-size-fits-all model. Finally, the crucial role of evaluation and continual improvement in creating an effective structure, and the implications for future practice that come from this are discussed.

Morals are an important aspect in any society's functioning, and can be seen as a complex concept which consists of many facets. Morals can also be seen to be influenced by variety of different factors. The present study used case studies and successive approximation content analysis to explore the influence of Christian Belief on moral behaviour in fifteen adolescents. The research found that adolescents' moral behaviour could be influenced by Christian Belief as well as authority and peers. Certain adolescents had different views and understandings of morals. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

This is a study about the following of Astrid Lindgren’s books The Brothers Lionheart and Mio, my son. The purpose of this study is to find out how moral development according to Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory may apply to the books protagonists. I have used a hermeneutic method for the analysis of Lindgren’s books. The books belong to the category children’s literature which is a valuable contribution to teaching from many aspects. The study shows that the books are well suited for teaching because there are many ethical questions to be discussed. The books may also help the pupils with their questions about life and help them to create their very own identity. Throughout the books the pupils get to learn about loneliness and how to handle it.

Assignment (M. Div.)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africans are confronted with the heartbreaking realities of society on a daily base. The question is, “How do we begin to bring about actual change concerning the distortion in the lives of people in our communities and who needs to take responsibility for this challenge? As a Christian, I approach the issue of social transformation from an understanding of God’s revelation of salvation to humankind, the church as ambassador of that message and the Christian family as the most basic entity of God’s body. It seems as if there is a definite need for virtuous living and nurturing in modern society as people relating to other people necessitate a specific understanding of how they will deal with one another. An exploration of morality and ethics –that which pertain to the character, custom and conduct of people within a community or society –moves us, however, from an initial autonomous What to do? to intimately following the question Who are we? The latter, in turn, cannot be answered unless it is preceded by asking “In what or whom should we hope?” The concern is that Christians indeed live by their conviction that God –as the “unifier of the entire creation” –has given us an order for living and that our direction for “who we are” and “how we ought to live” is found in the God of our hope –for times present and for times to come. Moral transformation of society is, thus, not about good people doing good things, but about human beings being formed into the form of Christ. The need for such a people –one that is morally transformed into the character of Christ –is especially of need in South Africa where communities and individuals are succumbed to the challenges of modern and postmodern times in unique ways. The dilemma for social transformation, however, seems to be in essence a concern for local forms of identities within which moral life can be sustained. It seems, therefore, that the most urgent and crucial task of society is the renewal of the family. Not only is the family the “the basic school of humanity” where children learn about life, but it is also the place where they learn about belief, faith and trust. Parents, who take seriously their task of commitment to raising their children according to the will of God, simultaneously serve as a sign of God’s hope and grace to other family members and their community. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrikaners word daagliks gekonfronteer met hartverskeurende realiteite binne gemeenskappe. Die vraag is, “Hoe begin ons om daadwerklik verandering aan te bring met betrekking tot die verwronging van menselewens en wie is veronderstel om verantwoordelikheid te neem vir hierdie uitdaging? As Christen benader ek die aangeleentheid vanuit die perspektief van God se verlossings-openbaring aan die mens, die kerk as ambassadeur van daardie boodskap en die Christen-familie as die basiese entiteit van God se liggaam. Dit skyn asof daar ‘n definitiewe behoefte vir ‘n deugsame lewe en versorging binne die moderne samelewing is na aanleiding van die noodsaaklikheid van ‘n spesifieke verstaan van omgang tussen mense wat in verhouding tot ander mense staan. ‘n Studie van moraliteit en etiek –dit wat verband hou met die karakter, gewoontes en gedrag van mense binne ‘n gemeenskap –dui egter daarop dat ‘n aanvanklike outonome “Wat om te doen?” vooraf gegaan word deur “Wie is ons?”. Laasgenoemde kan egter nie beantwoord word indien dit nie deur “In wat of in wie moet ons hoop?” vooraf gegaan word nie. Die besorgheid lê daarin opgesluit dat Christene inderdaad volgens die oortuiging leef dat God –wie die hele skepping verenig –‘n lewensorde aan ons toevertrou het. Ons vind gevolglik die aanwysing vir “wie ons is” en “hoe ons veronderstel is om te leef” in God wie ons hoop is vir die hede en die toekoms. ‘n Morele transformasie van die samelewing handel dus nie oor goeie mense wat goeie dinge doen nie, maar handel oor mense wat na die beeld van Christus gevorm word. Die behoefte aan so ‘n geslag mense –mense wat moreel na die karakter van Christus getransformeer word –is veral noodsaaklik in Suid-Afrika waar gemeenskappe en individue op unieke wyse aan moderne en postmoderne uitdagings beswyk. Die dilemma met sosiale transformasie skyn hoofsaaklik ‘n besorgheid te wees vir plaaslike vorme van identiteit waarbinne ‘n morele lewe onderhou kan word. Dit blyk dus dat die vernuwing van die familie die dringendste en noodsaaklikste taak van die gemeenskap is. Die familie is nie alleen die “basiese menslike skool” waar kinders aangaande die lewe onderrig word nie, maar dit is ook die ruimte waar hulle oor geloof en vertroue geleer word. Ouers wat hul toewydingstaak om kinders volgens die wil van God groot te maak ernstig opneem, dien gelykertyd as ‘n teken van God se hoop en genade aan ander familielede en hulle gemeenskap.

Křižovatky etické výchovy v kontextu České republiky a Německa Crossroads of the Ethical Education in the Context of the Czech Republic and Germany Ruth Kubíčková The aim of this thesis was to map the development, process of consolidation and current shape of the implementation of ethical education in the educational system of the Czech Republic and Germany. My findings corroborate the thesis that the ethical and values education, in its close relationship with religious education and the spiritual dimension in general, forms an integral part of the school system and has a significant impact on the formation of moral consciousness and competences of an individual and thus the society as a whole. The first chapter introduces the terminology of ethical education which, despite being essential for both interdisciplinary and international cooperation, has not yet been well established in the literature. The second chapter focuses on the formation of values system and shows that besides family, peers and the macro environment it is the school that plays a distinct role in the moral and character development of an individual. In conformity with the presented stages of gradual strengthening of the moral consciousness of a child, the school can designedly support the desired social interactions that lead to...

Thesis advisor: Lillie R. Albert / This study builds on a small, under-acknowledged body of educational works that speak to the problem of an overly technical focus on teaching, which negates a more authentic consideration of what it means to teach, including an exploration of the spiritual and moral dimensions. A need for educational change and the teacher's authentic way of being are presented as the basis for the primary research question: "What does it mean to be an authentic teacher?" The study consists of two equally intensive parts, i.e., a theoretical and empirical investigation. The theoretical developed a framework on authenticity, drawing from the Buddhist and Christian theological traditions; the Twentieth Century philosophical writings of Buber and Heidegger; and the in-depth review of conceptual and empirical educational literature. This framework supported the empirical design, which was a phenomenological study of six teachers in a small Catholic urban K-8 school. An empirical framework on authenticity evolved through the data analysis. Ultimately, the theoretical and empirical parts were integrated into a comprehensive framework on teacher authenticity, defined as follows: Teacher authenticity is a trust that, through the desire and intention to care, the teacher can awaken through teaching a profound life-giving potential for the well-being of oneself, others, and the world. This trust is the teacher's faith perspective, and is lived, dynamic, and iterative, which makes authenticity an ongoing process. A sub-question was also presented in the study: "What does it mean for the researcher to engage as an authentic learner in the research process?" The focus on the researcher as an authentic learner presented an expanded view of reflexivity, probing deeply into the philosophical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of the researcher's learning process throughout the study. The implications of the study are presented, focusing on the professions of teaching and research, and also showing the relevance for education and society. The most impending implication pertains equally to teachers and to researchers, and emphasizes the need for professional development programs of self-learning and self-formation. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2013. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Neste trabalho, nos dedicamos ao estudo da generosidade, investigando, em um contexto psicogenético, os juízos morais das crianças relativos aos seguintes temas: a generosidade em contraposição à justiça (para consigo mesmo) e generosidade e gratidão. Participaram desta pesquisa 60 alunos de uma escola particular da cidade do Rio de Janeiro RJ, com 6, 9 e 12 anos, igualmente divididos quanto ao sexo e à idade. Realizamos entrevistas individuais baseadas em histórias sobre os temas em questão. Dos resultados encontrados, destacamos que, diante de um conflito entre a generosidade e a justiça (para consigo mesmo), os juízos das crianças de 6 anos nos remetem mais à generosidade, e os critérios utilizados pelos mais velhos, para hierarquizar as duas dimensões morais, estão atrelados a uma noção geral de justiça. No que diz respeito ao tema da generosidade e gratidão, verificamos que a maioria das crianças de todas as idades pesquisadas não atribui obrigatoriedade ao agradecimento e/ ou à retribuição a uma manifestação de generosidade. Embora desprovida de obrigatoriedade, a retribuição é indicada e admirada, nas suas variadas formas, pelos participantes. Essa indicação e admiração, todavia, não fazem da retribuição um critério que os leve a agir generosamente, nos mostrando, assim, sinais de autonomia nos juízos relacionados à generosidade desde a mais tenra infância. Ao indicarem um agradecimento ou uma retribuição à ação generosa, as crianças mais novas ora ressaltam o aspecto concreto da recompensa, ora se referem à materialidade das regras da polidez, ainda exteriores à consciência. Dessa forma, ora visualizamos a incipiência de suas ferramentas intelectuais, ora nos deparamos com características da heteronomia infantil em seus juízos sobre o tema. A recompensa com uma ação concreta predomina nas sugestões espontâneas de agradecimento e/ ou retribuição das crianças de 9 e 12 anos, e a demonstração verbal de reconhecimento prevalece entre os mais velhos quando comparada exclusivamente à recompensa material. Tal reconhecimento pressupõe uma avaliação das intenções daquele que agiu generosamente, imprescindível na manifestação da gratidão. Como as crianças mais novas ainda conferem maior importância aos efeitos de um ato do que à intenção de seu autor, parece-nos válido afirmar que não é a gratidão propriamente dita que comparece em seus discursos, mas uma concepção mais elementar da virtude, o que nos leva a admitir um desenvolvimento da mesma ao longo da infância. Nossos resultados também confirmam a íntima relação do sentimento de simpatia com a generosidade, já apontada por outras pesquisas da área. Uma comoção com o sofrimento alheio comparece nas argumentações das crianças que decidiram pela ação generosa para com o outro. Com porcentagens altas em todas as faixas etárias pesquisadas, esse argumento predomina na menor idade e decresce nas idades seguintes. Tal resultado nos mostra que é mesmo a simpatia que inspira as crianças pequenas a decidirem pela manifestação da virtude. Essa sensibilidade para com outrem também interfere nos juízos dos participantes mais velhos, mas, no transcurso do desenvolvimento, princípios de reciprocidade e justiça também passam a regular decisões que culminam na generosidade / In this work, we dedicate ourselves to the study of generosity, investigating, in a psychogenetic context, children\'s moral judgment relating to the following themes: generosity as opposed to justice (for oneself) and generosity and gratitude. Participated in this survey, 60 pupils from a private school in the city of Rio de Janeiro - RJ, with 6, 9 and 12 years of age, equally divided as to sex and age. We conducted one-on-one interviews based on stories about the themes in question. Of the results found, we highlighted that, faced with a conflict between generosity and justice (to oneself), the judgment of 6 year old children refer to generosity, and the criteria used by the older ones, to organize into a hierarchy the two moral dimensions, are tied to a general notion of justice. On the subject of generosity and gratitude, we find that the majority of children of all ages surveyed do not assign an obligation as to what concerns gratitude and/or consideration as a reciprocation to an expression of generosity. Although devoid of obligation, reciprocation is indicated and admired, in its various forms, by the participants. This indication and admiration, however, does not make reciprocation a criterion that makes them act generously, thus showing us signs of autonomy in judgments related to generosity from an early childhood. When indicating an appreciation or a reciprocation to the generous action, younger children either point out the specific aspects of reward, or refer to the materiality of the rules of politeness, still exterior from their consciousness. In this way, we see how incipient are their intellectual tools, or we are faced with characteristics of infant heteronomy on their judgment of the theme. Rewards with a concrete action predominates in spontaneous suggestions of gratitude and/or reciprocation in children of 9 and 12 years old, and a verbal demonstration of gratitude prevails among the elderly when compared exclusively to material reward. Such recognition requires an evaluation of the intentions of that who acted generously, essential in the expressions of gratitude. As younger children still attach great importance to the effects of an act than to the intention of its author, it is valid to say that it is not gratitude itself that appears on their speech, but a more elementary conception of virtue, which leads us to admit its development throughout childhood. Our results also confirm the close relationship of the feeling of sympathy with generosity, already pointed out by other researches in this area. A commotion with the suffering of others appears in the arguments of children who decided for the generous action with each other. With high percentages in all age groups surveyed, this argument predominates in the lowest age and decreases in the following ages. This result shows that it is sympathy that inspires the young children to decide for the manifestation of virtue. This sensitivity to others also interferes in the judgment of the older participants, but, in the course of the development, principles of reciprocity and justice also regulate decisions that culminate in generosity

Thesis advisor: Karen Arnold / The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a business ethics course on the cognitive moral reasoning of freshmen business students. The sample consisted of 268 college students enrolled in a required business ethics course. The students took Rest's Defining Issues Test - Version 2 (DIT2) as a pre-test and then post-test (upon completing the course). Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple regression were employed to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the students and to determine the relationship, if any, between the variables of gender, class size, instructor, class time of day, SAT scores, and students' GPAs; and the dependent variable of moral reasoning (N2) scores. Descriptive analyses showed that taking this kind of a course made a difference for virtually everyone. While women had higher pre-test scores, post-test scores, and overall gains in moral reasoning than men, men also had gains across the board. Gains were also found across all instructors, in both small and medium class sizes and regardless of what time the class occurred. Further, compared to the national sample of college students, the study sample was at the level of college seniors. Results of ANOVA testing showed that the gains in moral reasoning scores were statistically significant ones. However, the moral reasoning gains of students enrolled in the smaller sections (n = 19) were not statistically significantly different than students enrolled in medium sized (n = 27) sections of the same course. Finally, the independent variable of class time had the most statistically significant relationship with gains in moral reasoning scores. The findings of this study suggest several practices for institutions of higher education. First, certain curricular conditions should be considered by institutions with ethics courses. The content should be explicit and pedagogical strategies should include role-taking, the discussion of moral dilemmas, reflection, active learning, and cognitive disequilibrium. Second, increasing class sizes by eight students can help to maintain moral growth while still being financially efficient. Third, these findings may inform administrators when planning class times (the earlier, the better). / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.

Deontic reasoning is a domain of reasoning concerning permissions, obligations, and prohibitions often utilizing conditional logic (Wason, 1968). Correct identification of rule violations is bolstered by the addition of a social valence to the rule for both adults (Tooby & Cosmides, 1992) and children (Harris & Nunez, 1996). This “deontic advantage” for violation-detection is taken as evidence for evolved social-cognitive mechanisms for reasoning about cheaters in the context of social contracts (Fiddick, 2004), and the early development of this advantage supports an evolutionary account of such abilities (Cummins, 2013). The current research hypothesized that differential attention to rule elements underlies the early emergence of the deontic advantage. Accuracy to a change-detection paradigm was used to assess implicit attention to various rule elements after children were told 4 different rules (2 social contracts, 2 epistemic statements). Thirteen 3-year-olds, twenty 4-year-olds, and sixteen 5-year-olds completed the experiment. Each participant completed 64 change-detection trials embedded within a scene depicting adherence to or violation of the rule. Results indicate that 4 and 5 year-olds consistently attend to the most relevant rule information for making decisions regarding violation (F(6, 124)=3.86, p<.01, ηp 2 = .144) and that they use observed compliance/non-compliance with the rule to further direct attention (F(6, 138)=3.27, p<.01, ηp 2 = .125). Furthermore, accuracy of change-detection to scenes of rule violation increases from ages 4 to 5, but not 3 to 4. However, a novel finding emerged suggesting that children use the absence of benefit to direct attention, suggesting possible “being-cheated” detection, rather than cheater-detection (F(9, 345) = 21.855, p<.001, ηp 2 = .322). This work is the first to investigate a deontic effect on attentional processes and opens a new avenue of inquiry to understanding the internal and external variables contributing to the development of deontic reasoning. Follow up studies are currently underway to clarify how children use these environmental cues and in/out group membership to direct attention to rule violations. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Em Psicologia, a moral é geralmente considerada como um conjunto de costumes, hábitos, valores e regras de uma determinada sociedade ou cultura. Inúmeras abordagens têm se debruçado sobre a área do Desenvolvimento Moral, sendo, porém, poucos os estudos na perspectiva da Análise do Comportamento. O objetivo deste trabalho foi fazer um levantamento da produção analítico-comportamental acerca do Desenvolvimento Moral, destacando as questões mais frequentemente estudadas, tanto no âmbito teórico como experimental e aplicado, comparando essa produção com o que vem sendo produzido em outras abordagens psicológicas. Para tanto, foi feita uma revisão bibliográfica nos principais periódicos na área, além dos livros Sobre Comportamento e Cognição e Comportamento em Foco. A análise do material selecionado indicou que, embora a terminologia desenvolvimento moral seja pouco empregada pelos analistas do comportamento, as pesquisas desenvolvidas na área abarcam a consideração sobre sequências e progressão no desenvolvimento da moralidade, educação e práticas parentais. Nesse contexto, o comportamento moral tem sido tratado na perspectiva da governança por regras, com destaque para a correspondência entre dizer e fazer e comportamentos pró-sociais. São analisadas algumas semelhanças e diferenças entre esses estudos e os desenvolvidos por outras abordagens psicológicas. Constata-se que, de uma maneira geral, a temática do Desenvolvimento Moral frequentemente se confunde com a Psicologia da Infância, possivelmente por ser dada ênfase na aquisição de padrões de comportamento moral, que, na nossa sociedade, ocorrem principalmente nos primeiros anos de vida. Sugere-se que a análise aqui realizada seja ampliada para outra base de dados, especialmente livros e capítulos de livros especializados em Análise do Comportamento e/ou acerca do Desenvolvimento Moral / In Psychology, the moral is usually considered as a set of mores, habits, values and rules of a specific society or culture. Several approaches give some attention to the Moral Development field, however only a few studies adopt the Behavior Analysis perspective. This study aimed to do a review of the behavioral analytic production about Moral Development, addressing the most frequently studied questions, in the theoretical field and both experimental and applied, comparing this production with what is being produced in other psychological approaches. Hence, a literature review was conducted on the main journals of the field, as well as on the books Sobre Comportamento e Cognição and Comportamento em Foco. The analysis of the selected data shows that although the \"moral development\" terminology is slightly used by behavior analysts, the research conducted on the field embraces the consideration of sequence and progression on the development of morality, education and parental practices. In this framework, the moral behavior has been treated in the perspective of rule governance, addressing the correspondence between saying and doing and prosocial behaviors. Some similarities and differences are analyzed between these studies and the ones developed by other psychological approaches. In general, it is noted that the Moral Development theme is commonly confused with Infant Psychology, possibly because emphasis is given to the pattern acquisition of moral behavior, which occurs mostly in our society during the early years of life. It is suggested that the analysis conducted in this study should be expanded to other databases, especially books and chapters of books specialized in Behavior Analysis and/or Moral Development