Vignette Themes and Moral Reasoning in Business Contexts: The Case for the Defining Issues Test

This study investigated the impact of a 15-week outdoor experiential program on the moral reasoning of college students. One hundred and ninety-six university students volunteered to participate in this study, which utilized Rest's (1979) Defining Issues Test (DIT). The DIT investigates how individuals arrive at making decisions, and formulates a “P” (Principled moral reasoning) score for each subject. The groups were found to be homogeneous in moral reasoning at the pretest (outdoor experiential x = 36.07; control x = 33.08; F = 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference on the posttest scores of the outdoor experiential program participants (x = 40.98) in relation to the control group (x = 34.14) (F = 3.84). The results of this study demonstrated that the outdoor experiential program participants were significantly different from the control group at posttest. It is postulated that even though improved moral reasoning was not a stated objective, the outdoor experiential students, through front-loading, reflection, critical thinking, problem solving, and adherence to the full value contract, did enhance their level of moral reasoning. Through the combined modeling of behavior and discussion, changes in behavior can occur. The nature of outdoor experiential programs seems well suited to positively influence moral and ethical reasoning.

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Collectivism in Moral Development

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1997.80.3.967 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 80 (3) ◽

pp. 967-975 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chang-Ho C. Ji

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Moral Development ◽

Moral Reasoning ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

T Test ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Asian People

This study investigated the relations among ethnicity, moral reasoning, and collectivism by administering the Defining Issues Test and the Individualism-Collectivism Scale to 165 Euro-American and Asian graduate students. To the data were applied analyses of variance, correlation, t test, and regression analyses. The analysis indicated that the Asian subjects had lower P scores on the Defining Issues Test so Kohlberg's model may not incorporate the concerns and experience of Asian people. The study also showed that scores on collectivism were not necessarily associated with low P scores.

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Differences in Moral Reasoning Among Medical Graduates Compared With Graduates of Other Degrees and Adults Without Professional Degrees

10.21203/rs.3.rs-936255/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Maria Guadalupe Jean-Tron ◽

Diana Ávila-Montiel ◽

Horacio Márquez-González ◽

Gina del Carmen Chapa-Koloffon ◽

José Antonio Orozco-Morales ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Moral Development ◽

Moral Reasoning ◽

Education Level ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Master's Students ◽

Social Construct ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

Education Levels ◽

Natural Characteristic ◽

Professional Degrees

Abstract Background. When we talk about morality, a question arises as to whether it is a natural characteristic of humans—that is, whether it is what people should pursue as individuals or whether it is a social construct. Kohlberg established six progressive stages of moral judgment that form three levels of moral development, showing the development of people’s thinking on moral issues that is characterized by the aforementioned criteria. Methods. This study’s objective was to compare the level of moral reasoning among graduate students in medicine with a group of young graduates from other degrees and a group of non-professional adults.The moral reasoning questionnaire (Defining Issues Test, DIT) designed by James Rest based on Kohlberg’s theory (Rest 1979) was applied. In total, 304 questionnaires were completed. Results. Depending on the population studied, differences have been found in the profile of moral development. The profile of family clinic users showed a very high predominance of subjects in category 1 at 70%, but only 4.5% in category 3, while in the group of pediatric specialty students, 37.5% were found in category 1 and 34% in category 3. They were the group with the highest percentage in this category. This vast difference could be because the differences in the age and socio-education levels of the beneficiaries are much wider than that of the residents. However, differences are also found if the profiles of residents are compared with those of master’s students because the latter comprised 56% in category 1 and 19% in category 3. We also found differences in the profiles of moral development based on the highest education level. Conclusions. Based on the results of this study, the population could be classified into three levels of moral development, the first level being the predominant one and the third the least common, as we expected prior to the study. The reason why some individuals reach the highest level while others do not remains a question to be addressed. The results show us that there is a difference in some populations depending on education level and even the type of degree pursued.

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A Note on Ethics Educational Interventions in an Undergraduate Auditing Course: Is There an “Enron Effect”?

Issues in Accounting Education ◽

10.2308/iace.2004.19.1.53 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 53-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Christine E. Earley ◽

Patrick T. Kelly

Keyword(s):

Moral Reasoning ◽

Moral Dilemmas ◽

Educational Interventions ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Accounting Students ◽

The Public ◽

Reasoning Abilities ◽

Accounting Scandals ◽

Accounting Courses ◽

Context Specific

In light of recent accounting scandals and the ensuing “crisis in confidence” facing the public accounting profession, there is a new challenge to accounting educators: how to effectively incorporate ethics into accounting courses, and increase the moral reasoning abilities of their students. Providing accounting students with the ability to reason effectively with respect to moral dilemmas may help to minimize future judgment errors in accounting and auditing settings. This article describes several different educational interventions that were adopted in an undergraduate auditing course. Students' moral reasoning was assessed both at the beginning and the end of the course to determine whether their moral reasoning scores improved based on the interventions. This was done over two semesters: one occurring in 2001 (“pre-Enron”), and one occurring in 2002 (“post-Enron”). Accounting context-specific scores were collected in both semesters (using Thorne's [2000] Accounting Ethical Dilemma Instrument [AEDI]), and general moral reasoning scores (Rest's [1979] Defining Issues Test [DIT]) were also collected in the post-Enron semester. Results indicate increases in AEDI scores, which were robust over both semesters. There was no corresponding increase in DIT scores, which is consistent with previous research; however, students' DIT scores were not significantly different than AEDI scores, which is contrary to the findings of Thorne (2001). In addition, the educational interventions appear to be equally effective in both the pre-Enron and post-Enron semesters, indicating the absence of an “Enron effect.”

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A Comparison of Moral Reasoning of Groups and Individuals on the “Defining Issues Test”

Academy of Management Journal ◽

10.5465/256035 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 201-208

Author(s):

Mary Lippitt Nichols ◽

Victoria E. Day

Keyword(s):

Moral Reasoning ◽

Defining Issues Test

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Moral Reasoning in Irish Children and Adolescents as Measured by the Defining Issues Test

The Irish Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1080/03033910.1982.10557649 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 96-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

James V. Kahn

Keyword(s):

Moral Reasoning ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Defining Issues Test

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Gifted Children's Perception of Divorce

journal for the education of the gifted ◽

10.1177/016235328701100103 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 29-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Carolyn Falk

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Moral Reasoning ◽

Middle Grades ◽

Coping Skills ◽

Gifted Students ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Advanced Level ◽

Self Blame ◽

The Family ◽

Additional Variance

Forty-one students from middle grades, some gifted and some not, some with experience with divorce in their families and some who were not, were administered a series of interviews, produced writing samples, and were given a subtest of the Defining Issues test. All groups saw the family as an important unit for them and its break up a serious matter regardless of whether they had personally experienced divorce. The most commonly reported theme in the stories was self blame, and there was hope that the separated parents would reunite. The gifted students gave longer stories and were able to take the perspective of adults as well as children in their stories. The gifted students also showed a stronger desire to want to understand the reasons for the dissolution of the marriage and, as might be expected, showed a more advanced level of moral reasoning. Additional variance, however, was contributed by the socioeconomic status of the family and the particular school attended making these findings merely suggestive and calling for more detailed investigation into the special coping skills against crisis demonstrated by gifted students.

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Consistency and Inconsistency in Adolescents’ Moral Reasoning

International Journal of Behavioral Development ◽

10.1080/016502597384686 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 813-836 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Júlio Rique ◽

Cleonice Camino

Keyword(s):

High School Students ◽

Moral Reasoning ◽

Moral Education ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

School Students ◽

Educational Methods ◽

Independent Variables ◽

Developmental Progression ◽

Male High School ◽

Quasi Experimental

Authors in the cognitive developmental tradition (e.g. Damon & Hart, 1988; Snyder & Feldman, 1984; Turiel, 1983) have created models to explain transition between stages of development. This study introduces consistency and inconsistency of moral reasoning as patterns of moral thinking and presents implications for moral education. Consistency and inconsistency are determined by the level of “stage mixture” scored on the Defining Issues Test. A 2 × 2 quasi-experimental design was created. Participants were 52, 15-year-old male high school students. Moral judgement was the dependent variable. Consistency, inconsistency, and the experimental procedures were independent variables. Results showed a significant interaction between levels of consistency and educational methods ( P < .014), a developmental progression for the condition inconsistent experimental ( P < .004), and a predicted pattern of change for the condition consistent experimental ( P < .001). The authors concluded that consistency and inconsistency of moral reasoning require different assumptions for the promotion of moral development.

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Moral Reasoning, Interpersonal Skills, and Cognition of Rapists, Child Molesters, and Incest Offenders

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.2000.86.1.67 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 67-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Paul M. Valliant ◽

Derek Pottier ◽

Tanya Gauthier ◽

Robert Kosmyna

Keyword(s):

Moral Reasoning ◽

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ◽

Child Molesters ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Personality Inventory ◽

Control Group ◽

Control Groups ◽

Psychopathic Deviate ◽

And Control ◽

Interpersonal Values

54 inmates were subdivided into four groups and classified according to their index offense. The groups included Rapists ( n = 14), Incest Offenders ( n = 9), Child Molesters ( n = 11), General Offenders ( n = 20). Nonoffenders ( n = 20) were included as a control group. Psychometric tests including the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, the Defining Issues Test, Survey of Interpersonal Values, Porteus Maze, and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory were administered to all inmate and control groups. Analysis showed the rapists and child molesters scored higher on moral reasoning on the Defining Issues Test; also rapists' scores were more elevated on the Psychopathic Deviate and Paranoia scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory than those of other offender and control groups. These results imply that rapists and child molesters have the ability to understand moral issues; however, given their personality orientation, they ignore these interpersonal social values.

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Moral Reasoning Of Business, Nursing And Liberal Arts Students

Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER) ◽

10.19030/jber.v1i2.2969 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

George P.W. Lan ◽

Sharon McMahon ◽

Norm King ◽

Fritz Rieger

Keyword(s):

Nursing Students ◽

Moral Reasoning ◽

Liberal Arts ◽

Formal Education ◽

Business Students ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Font Size ◽

Psychometric Instrument ◽

Liberal Arts Students ◽

Upper Level

This paper presents the results of an analysis of the level of moral reasoning across different majors and between undergraduate and graduate business students at a middle-sized Canadian university. The Defining Issues Test (DIT2), a recent version of the original DIT test, a well-known and widely tested psychometric instrument, is used to measure the level of moral reasoning. The results showed that beginning nursing students scored significantly lower on the DIT2 tests than the upper level liberal arts and business students and that older students scored significantly higher than younger students and that the main variable affecting the level of moral reasoning was the level of formal education of the participants. Even after allowing for the variance caused by age and by the major field of study of the respondents, the level of education by itself is a significant predictor of the P (Principled) score, an output of the DIT2, which is an indicator of the level of moral reasoning. On the other hand, the gender and political views of the respondents did not affect the DIT2 P-scores significantly.

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