An Introduction to the Moral Agency Scale

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 295-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica E. Black
Keyword(s):  
Free Will ◽  
Moral Psychology ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Factorial Invariance ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Moral Choices ◽  
Moral Blame

Abstract. The purpose of this research was to develop a psychometric measure of moral agency and explore its relationship with related moral constructs. Although our legal system, daily interactions with others, and most theories about moral psychology assume moral agency, few researchers have studied it, and there is no instrument devised to specifically measure it. Here, we present the Moral Agency Scale (MAS), a self-report instrument designed to assess the extent to which participants feel control over their moral choices. In Study 1, the MAS demonstrated strict factorial invariance; validity is further supported by its relations to similar constructs and reported volunteering behavior. In Study 2, MAS scores were associated with free will beliefs, moral disengagement, and judgments of moral blame. Results are discussed with reference to theory and future directions for research.

The Good, The Bad, and The Player

2010 ◽  
pp. 52-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Švelch
Keyword(s):  
Moral Psychology ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Moral Emotions ◽  
Game Studies ◽  
Moral Content ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
On Line ◽  
Moral Choices ◽  
The Relationship

In this chapter, the authors create a theoretical model to analyze the challenges inherent in the implementation of moral choices in single-player avatar-based video game. Based on previous research in moral psychology and game studies, the authors investigate the relationship between the player’s moral emotions and the events she causes to happen in the fictional world of a video game. The authors find that there are two factors that govern the identification with the moral content of the game’s fiction: the implementation of moral agency into the game, of which they identify two basic scenarios (fixed justice and accumulation of deeds), and the style of gameplay the player chooses to follow. The authors give numerous examples from interviews, on-line discussions and gaming press of instances when players feel moral emotions about im(moral) actions they have taken in a video game.

Character, Choice and Moral Agency: The Relevance of Character to Our Moral Culpability Judgments

1990 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Arenella
Keyword(s):  
Rational Choice ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Moral Agent ◽  
Moral Emotions ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Moral Norms ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Moral Culpability ◽  
Moral Choices ◽  
Moral Blame

Should a person who cannot appreciate the moral significance of legal norms qualify as a blameworthy actor simply because he has the capacity to comply with them for non-moral reasons? Such a person may lack any empathy for other human beings and view moral norms as arbitrary restraints on his self-interested behavior: does he nevertheless deserve moral blame when he makes an instrumentally “rational choice” to breach a norm governing his action? Should our answers to these questions depend on whether we believe that the actor is morally responsible for lacking these moral emotions and understandings? In short, must we concern ourselves with those aspects of the agent's character – his goals, desires, values, emotions, and perceptions of what courses of action are available to him – that motivate his rational choices? Or are questions about what motivates the actor to exercise his capacity for rational choice irrelevant to our judgments concerning his moral culpability for violating some governing norm?One way of thinking about such questions is to ask what attributes a person must possess to qualify as an appropriate addressee of moral norms and a suitable object of moral blame. Must a moral agent have the capacity to respond to moral norms as a reason for his choices? Must he also be able to control those aspects of his character that impair his capacity to make moral choices?Most legal theorists insist that moral agents do not need such capacities to be fairly blamed for violating the minimal moral restraints that the criminal law imposes on their self-interested acts.

Factorial Invariance of Child Self-Report Across English and Spanish Language Groups in a Hispanic Population Utilizing the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Newman ◽  
Christine A. Limbers ◽  
James W. Varni
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Services ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Factorial Invariance ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hispanic Population ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Related Quality

The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children has witnessed significant international growth over the past decade in an effort to improve pediatric health and well-being, and to determine the value of health-care services. In order to compare international HRQOL research findings across language groups, it is important to demonstrate factorial invariance, i.e., that the items have an equivalent meaning across the language groups studied. This study examined the factorial invariance of child self-reported HRQOL across English- and Spanish-language groups in a Hispanic population of 2,899 children ages 8–18 utilizing the 23-item PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed specifying a five-factor model across language groups. The findings support an equivalent 5-factor structure across English- and Spanish-language groups. Based on these data, it can be concluded that children across the two languages studied interpreted the instrument in a similar manner. The multigroup CFA statistical methods utilized in the present study have important implications for cross-cultural assessment research in children in which different language groups are compared.

Impulsivity in Adolescents

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth K. Reynolds ◽  
Linda C. Mayes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Maturation ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Multidimensional Construct ◽  
Normal Behavior ◽  
Problematic Behaviors ◽  
Behavioral Tasks ◽  
Developmental Course

Adolescence is the time between the beginning of sexual maturation and adulthood, typically bounded by the ages of 13 to 19 years. One construct that holds a central place in many theories of development and psychopathology is impulsivity. Impulsivity has been considered to play an important role in normal behavior as well as linked to several problematic behaviors that are present or arise during adolescence. Impulsivity, considered to be a multidimensional construct, has been defined and measured in a variety of ways. This chapter will discuss the definitions of impulsivity, measurement (including self-report and behavioral tasks), developmental course, behaviors and disorders in which it is implicated, and future directions.

Measuring Collateral Consequences Among Individuals Registered for a Sexual Offense: Development of the Sexual Offender Collateral Consequences Measure

Sexual Abuse ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 107906322110197
Author(s):  
Emma Hamilton ◽  
Delida Sanchez ◽  
Matthew L. Ferrara
Keyword(s):  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Sexual Offender ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Sexual Offense ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Collateral Consequences ◽  
Validity Indicators ◽  
Validated Instrument ◽  
Adequate Reliability

Collateral consequences faced by individuals convicted of a sexual offense have been widely referenced in the literature. There is yet to be a systematic examination of collateral consequences affecting individuals, however, due to measurement inconsistencies and the absence of a psychometrically validated instrument. The current study developed and validated a measure of collateral consequences faced by individuals convicted of a sexual offense. Specifically, this study investigated (a) the underlying factor structure of collateral consequences commonly endorsed by individuals convicted of a sexual offense through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) procedures and (b) reliability and validity indicators of the aforementioned scale. Participants were 218 individuals convicted of and registered for a sexual offense in the state of Texas. Study measures included a pool of 66 collateral consequences items in addition to psychological self-report instruments addressing hopelessness, shame, social well-being, and discrimination. EFA results revealed a two-dimensional construct representing collateral consequences affecting areas of social and psychological well-being. The current measure demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. Limitations and future directions of findings are addressed.

scholarly journals Moral Disengagement, Empathy, and Cybervictim’s Representation as Predictive Factors of Cyberbullying among Italian Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1266
Author(s):  
Maria Lidia Mascia ◽  
Mirian Agus ◽  
Maria Assunta Zanetti ◽  
Maria Luisa Pedditzi ◽  
Dolores Rollo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Experience ◽  
Moral Disengagement ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Bivariate Correlation ◽  
Victim Group ◽  
Empathy Scale ◽  
Italian Adolescents ◽  
Diffusion Of Responsibility

This study aimed to evaluate which aspects of moral disengagement (MD), empathy, and representations of the victim’s experience (VER) could be predictors of cyberbullying (CB). One hundred and eight-nine students (11–17 years old) completed 3 self-report questionnaires: An MD scale, an empathy scale, and a CB questionnaire. In relation to the personal experience of CB, four groups were identified: Victim, bully, bully/victim, and no experience with CB. The linear bivariate correlation analysis shows correlations between empathy and VER, between empathy and MD, and between MD and VER. A multinomial logistic regression identified which predictors could increase a subject’s probability of belonging to one of the four groups regarding the personal experience of CB (victim, bully, bully/victim, no experience). Findings highlighted that low cognitive empathy might increase the probability for a student to belong to the bullies’ group, rather than the victims’ group. Furthermore, low perception of the consequences of CB on the victim might increase the probability of belonging to the bully, bully/victim, and no experience groups. Then, a high score in the diffusion of responsibility was a significant predictor of belonging to the victim group rather than the no experience group. Results from this study confirm the need for preventive measures against CB, including the empowerment of cognitive empathy, decreasing the diffusion of responsibility, and increasing the awareness of the consequences of CB on the victim.

scholarly journals On the contracts related to matrimonial property

2002 ◽  
Vol 74 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 339-350
Author(s):  
Jožef Salma
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Equitable Distribution ◽  
Positive Law ◽  
Separate Property ◽  
Marital Agreement

Positive law in Serbia does not provide for the possibility of a marital agreement. After the comparative analysis, the author suggests that the introduction of this type of contract into our legal system would certainly prevent a number of equitable distribution disputes. If this type of contract was introduced, it would certainly promote the free will of spouses as well as the advantages of having the separate property.

Introduction

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Brian Leiter
Keyword(s):  
Moral Responsibility ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Moral Judgment ◽  
Moral Psychology ◽  
Philosophy Of Mind ◽  
Moral Action ◽  
Philosophy Of Action ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The Relationship

Moral psychology, for purposes of this volume, encompasses issues in metaethics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of action, including questions concerning the objectivity of morality, the relationship between moral judgment and emotion, the nature of the emotions, free will, and moral responsibility, and the structure of the mind as that is relevant to the possibility of moral action and judgment. Nietzsche’s “naturalism” is introduced and explained, and certain confusions about its meaning are addressed. An overview of the volume follows

Moral agents

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinit Haksar
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Free Will ◽  
Moral Agency ◽  
Moral Agent ◽  
Strong Version ◽  
Moral Law ◽  
Inner Life ◽  
Moral Understanding ◽  
Moral Agents ◽  
Concern For Others

Moral agents are those agents expected to meet the demands of morality. Not all agents are moral agents. Young children and animals, being capable of performing actions, may be agents in the way that stones, plants and cars are not. But though they are agents they are not automatically considered moral agents. For a moral agent must also be capable of conforming to at least some of the demands of morality. This requirement can be interpreted in different ways. On the weakest interpretation it will suffice if the agent has the capacity to conform to some of the external requirements of morality. So if certain agents can obey moral laws such as ‘Murder is wrong’ or ‘Stealing is wrong’, then they are moral agents, even if they respond only to prudential reasons such as fear of punishment and even if they are incapable of acting for the sake of moral considerations. According to the strong version, the Kantian version, it is also essential that the agents should have the capacity to rise above their feelings and passions and act for the sake of the moral law. There is also a position in between which claims that it will suffice if the agent can perform the relevant act out of altruistic impulses. Other suggested conditions of moral agency are that agents should have: an enduring self with free will and an inner life; understanding of the relevant facts as well as moral understanding; and moral sentiments, such as capacity for remorse and concern for others. Philosophers often disagree about which of these and other conditions are vital; the term moral agency is used with different degrees of stringency depending upon what one regards as its qualifying conditions. The Kantian sense is the most stringent. Since there are different senses of moral agency, answers to questions like ‘Are collectives moral agents?’ depend upon which sense is being used. From the Kantian standpoint, agents such as psychopaths, rational egoists, collectives and robots are at best only quasi-moral, for they do not fulfil some of the essential conditions of moral agency.

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