This study was designed to assess the effects of a peer ministry training course upon adolescents' ability to respond empathetically and upon their level of moral development. Volunteers from a church's high school group were blocked by gender and randomly divided into two groups . Adolescents in the treatment group were trained in thirteen sessions basic helping skills (emphasizing empathy) and measured before and after training on variables of empathy, moral development, and internality - externality. Adolescents in the second group were used as a control and were measured with the same assessment devices.

Huguenot Primary School expressed its need for a scientifically based programme which could be used to implement, within the context of the holistic approach and the community of Wellington, the principle of respect in the current curriculum. Specific components for a guidance programme have been identified by means of focus group meetings gathered from the target population (parents, educators and learners from Huguenot Primary School, and role models within the community). The theoretical base of Kohlberg (1964, 1966, 1978, and 1985) and the three levels of moral development were applicable in this instance. The Gestalt perspective and field theory formed the paradigm of the study. From the qualitative approach, applied research with an explorative and descriptive nature was used to identify and describe the above-mentioned components. The instrumental case study method was utilized as research strategy. A purposive test sample was done in order to compile a representative target population. / Social Work

The Federal Communications Commission and the Motion Picture Association of America have strict guidelines for regulating sex, nudity and obscene language in television and movies, but do not regulate violence nearly as much (Donnerstein & Linz, 1994; Robson, 2004). However, empirical evidence suggests that violence can be harmful to children’s moral development (Byrne, Linz, & Potter, 2009). The current study examined if younger siblings are exposed to more obscene television at younger ages than older siblings, and if exposure to obscene television affects their moral development. For the purpose of this study, obscenity was defined as sex, nudity, obscene language, and violence, and the effects of each aspect of obscenity on moral development were studied separately. Participants will be asked about how much obscene television they watched growing up and then will be tested on how they would behave in morally wrong or morally ambiguous situations. The proposed results suggest that exposure to violent television can negatively affect moral development. Instead of regulating for sex, nudity, and obscene language, the FCC and the MMPA should focus more on the negative effects of violence.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited / This study examined midshipmen perceptions of moral development at the Naval Academy. Six focus groups comprising a total of 45 first-class midshipmen were conducted to discover aspects of the Naval Academy experience that have positive, neutral and negative impacts on midshipmen's moral development. Focus group midshipmen reported that good personal examples, open-forum discussions of ethical case studies, assuming midshipmen leadership responsibilities and participation in sports have a positive impact on their moral development. Parts of the Naval Academy experience that had a neutral impact on their moral development included some aspects of the core ethics course, the behavior of some of their peers, and the "directed development" approach they perceived in many of the Academy programs. Focus group midshipmen also believed that there were too many ethics and character programs, and that they were too repetitious and too routine to have more than a neutral impact on their moral development. Finally, focus group midshipmen cited bad example by some officers, the Bancroft Hall culture, and weaknesses in the Honor System as having a negative impact on their moral development. This study concluded with several recommendations from the midshipmen and researcher to improve moral development efforts at the Naval Academy. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the content of moral thought and premarital sexual standards . The sample used (n=lS9) was homogeneous and purposive; the majority of the sample was female, second year college students, and Caucasian. A discriminant analysis using the sexual standards of permissiveness with affection and the traditional standard as dependent variables, and the moral constructs of egoism, hedonism, nonhedonism, utilitarianism, deontology, rul e-utilitarianism, actutilitarianism, rule-orientation, and act-orientation as independent (predictor) variables was run. This analysis resulted in a final model in which egoism, hedonism, nonhedonism, act-utilitarianism, and ruleorientation were found to be the polarizing variables between the traditional group and the permissiveness with affection group.

Orientador: Adrián Oscar Dongo Montoya / Resumo: Este trabalho tem como principal objetivo o estudo do desenvolvimento moral e da troca simbólica junto à crianças de bairros marginalizados, ou seja, crianças que vivem na pobreza e sofrem opressão social. Por serem crianças que vivem essa condição social, sofrem relações de opressão e vivem uma "cultura do silencio" que dificulta o desenvolvimento das suas capacidades cognitivas e dos seus sentimentos morais. Deste modo, nos perguntamos: de que modo esse meio social influi no desenvolvimento moral dessas crianças, particularmente dos seus julgamentos morais? Para responder a essa questão, estudamos as relações de crianças de 7 a 12 anos com os membros que as rodeiam. A pesquisa se cumpre em uma instituição social localizada em um bairro de periferia da cidade do interior de São Paulo. Por meio de entrevistas, verificamos os julgamentos morais em função da mentira das crianças, a partir de histórias elaboradas por Piaget e levantamos as trocas simbólicas no seio familiar e institucional. No ambiente familiar, estudamos o seu cotidiano onde se produz o cumprimento de obrigações e deveres, brincadeiras, conflitos com autoridades e iguais. No ambiente institucional, estudamos o modelo de relação existente, se há a possibilidade de trocas simbólicas e reflexão sobre as atividades feitas. O referencial teórico principal foi o de Jean Piaget. Nossas conclusões apontam para uma relação entre os julgamentos morais e as trocas simbólicas. As crianças que apresentaram uma tendência de ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This work has as its mainly objective the purpose of studying the moral development and the symbolic exchange among marginalized neighborhoods children, in other words, children living in poverty and suffering social opression. For being children living under this social condition, they suffer opression relationships and abide by what they call "Culture of the Silence", making things harder for the development of their cognitive abilities and their moral feelings. Thus, we ask ourselves: in which way this social enviroment influences these children moral development, particularly their moral judgement? To answer that question, we have been studying the relationships of children from 7 to 12 years old among the members surrounding them during daily life. The survey has been acomplished in a social institution located in a suburban neighborhood of a city in the countryside of São Paulo state. Through interviews, we have verified the moral judgements in function of the children's lies, as of histories elaborated by Piaget; we were able to bring up the symbolic exchanges among the family and institutionally. In the family enviroment, we have study their daily life where the acomplishment of obligations and chores, children's play, conflicts towards authorities and equals could be seen. In the institutional enviroment, we have study the relationship model existent, if there is the possibility of symbolic exchanges and reflection about the activities that just have been done. The m... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

In 1986 the International Commission on the Apostolate of Jesuit Education (ICAJE) produced a document titled The Characteristics of Jesuit Education. This document was an attempt to define the distinctive nature of Jesuit Education. Seven years later, Ignatian Pedagogy: A Practical Approach (1993) was written by the same body in response to the following questions: How can the principles and orientation of The Characteristics be made more useable for teachers? How can Ignatian values be incorporated into a practical pedagogy for use in the daily interactions between teachers and students in the classroom? This study investigates the nature and origins of Ignatian Pedagogy, and its implementation in Jesuit schools in Australia. The first part of the dissertation is a documentary analysis and interpretation. It traces the historical development of Ignatian Pedagogy in the context of Jesuit history and spirituality, and clarifies its purposes in relation to the educational mission of the Jesuit order. The inspiration for Ignatian Pedagogy is based on the purpose and methodology of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola. The dissertation describes the implementation of the Pedagogy within the five Jesuit schools in Australia in the period 1994 to 2000. Ignatian Pedagogy is then located and evaluated within an educational framework. Its purposes are compared and contrasted with 5 different learning theories (Behaviourist; Cognitivist; Humanist; Social Learning and Constructivist), and comparisons are also made with approaches to ‘personal change’ education such as Groome’s Shared Christian Praxis, Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed and Critical Pedagogy. It is shown that Ignatian Pedagogy has many points of similarity with elements in these various theories; the pedagogy was somewhat eclectic in the ideas it incorporated in trying to be faithful to the original vision of Jesuit education, while seeking to provide a coherent across-the-curriculum strategy for promoting the spiritual and moral development of pupils.The second part of the dissertation reports a qualitative empirical study of teachers’ perceptions of the Ignatian Pedagogy and its implementation in Jesuit schools. This data collection set out to investigate the level of congruence between the intentions of Ignatian Pedagogy and teachers’ perceptions of its purposes. A sample of teachers from all five Jesuit schools in Australia were interviewed in small focus groups and the data were analysed and interpreted using the method of grounded theory according to Strauss and Corbin (1990). Their responses were consistent with the findings from interviews with a selection of ‘key informants’ – very experienced educators/administrators within Jesuit schools who had a more extensive and responsible role in schools for the implementation of the Ignatian Pedagogy. 5 key themes were abstracted from the data. The core theme was the paradoxical nature of Ignatian Pedagogy. The teachers on one hand referred to it as “good teaching practice” and yet struggled to understand and implement the pedagogy. Other themes were the relational, methodological, Christian ministry and political categories. The data shows a level of congruence between the intentions of the Pedagogy, the historically stated aims and purposes of Jesuit education and the perceptions of current Australian teachers in Jesuit schools implementing the pedagogy. The data also shows problems with implementation: ecclesiastical/religious/educational terminology caused difficulties; the term ‘pedagogy’ itself resulted in misunderstandings; the politics of implementation were influential. The study shows that Ignatian Pedagogy as an attempt to sustain and develop the vision of Jesuit education for the lay people who now constitute the teaching staff in Jesuit schools incorporated ideas that are also prominent in other theories of education for personal change. Also, because of the natural complexities and uncertainties in links between pedagogy and actual spiritual/moral change in pupils, Ignatian Pedagogy, like other intentional spiritual/moral pedagogies, (e.g., critical pedagogy, values education), exhibits common problems with its conceptualisation and implementation. Ignatian Pedagogy is best interpreted as a ‘global ministry perspective’ informing teaching across the curriculum. The study helps put Ignatian Pedagogy into perspective within the context of contemporary Australian education. It shows how an educational thrust towards the development of critical thinking, social awareness and responsibility has been attempted within Jesuit education. The dissertation concludes with proposed implications for the more effective presentation and implementation of Ignatian Pedagogy. While these implications have particular relevance for Jesuit schools and religious schools in general, they also relate to the contemporary interest in the spiritual and moral dimensions to Australian education as evident in the national Values Education programme.

The present study examined the influence of the demographic variables of age, gender, major in college, and level of education or class standing on individuals' stage of moral development. Trevino's interactionist model, combined with the basic principles of cognitive moral development, provided the theoretical basis for this study. One-hundred and forty-four university students, representing business, home economics, and liberal arts majors, participated in this qualitative study. The research instrument used was the Sociomoral Reflection Measure (SMR), designed to measure an individual's level of moral development. The SMR considered four stages of moral development: 1) unilateral and simplistic, 2) exchanging and instrumental, 3) mutual and prosocial, and 4) systemic and standard, in addition to three transitional stages: a) transition 1/2, b) transition 2/3, and c) transition 3/4. The stage achieved indicated an individual's level of moral maturity. One-way analysis of variance statistics were performed to test the research hypotheses. Frequencies and percentages were also calculated for both the demographic and sociomoral stage data with regard to the total sample. Analogous with previous research, findings indicated that age directly related to an individual's current stage of moral development. Concurrently, the class standing variable also was found to influence one's stage of moral development. Conversely, the remaining demographic variables tested differed from previous studies, failing to prove significant. A collegian's choice of major was not found to influence stage of moral development achieved. Furthermore, the impact of gender-based differences on stage of moral development did not appear to be of significance. / Graduation date: 1995

Thesis (Ed.D.) -- Teachers College, Columbia University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 231-236) Also available on the Internet.

A review of the literature in several domains reveals that moral imagination plays a role in how we deliberate about moral issues and what motivates us to act in a moral way. This study begins by outlining an operational definition of moral imagination based largely on Dewey’s model of dramatic rehearsal (Dewey, 1922), along with an explication of the role of image schemas, metaphor, empathy, and narrative in moral imagination (Johnson, 1993) and an examination of how moral imagination develops through the lifespan. A review of the research of the components of moral imagination is included, especially in the literature of moral development, problem solving, and creativity, as well as a proposal of an avenue of research to advance the understanding of this vital and complex human capacity. The study continues with an investigation of a curriculum designed to foster the cognitive processing of empathic emotions stimulated by viewing film clips from Hollywood-produced films. The curriculum stimulates moral imagination by offering situations in which participants can place themselves and then discuss possible moral outcomes. The curriculum is thought to aid in the development of moral expertise by exposing participants to a perspective-taking script from childhood (Hoffman, 2000) and making that script chronically accessible to the participant (Lapsley & Narvaez, in press). Three hundred sixty-six students (grades third through eighth) enrolled in after-school programs in two rural Georgia counties were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. The content of the intervention was delivered in a 3-week period in one county and in a 9-week period in the other. Results indicate that the longer intervention produced more gains in moral theme recognition (MTI; Narvaez, Gleason, Mitchell, & Bentley, 1999) compared to the shorter intervention. Participants in the shorter intervention demonstrated an attraction to moral theme statements reflecting higher stages of moral reasoning after the intervention than before compared to a control group from the same county. While further study is warranted, it appears the curriculum initiated a transition to higher stage reasoning in some of the participants.