Preference for Moral Reasoning and Conflict Compromise Theory

1981 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 501-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Muehleman ◽  
Terry Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Defining Issues Test

The Defining Issues Test was administered to 55 male and 55 female undergraduates under three instructional sets: “decide which would be the most important issues” (a) for you, (b) for others (your fellow students), and (c) that you would most admire. As predicted from conflict compromise and value theories, there was a significant effect of instructional sets, and the pattern of the means was in the expected order other < self < most admired. The results were interpreted as evidence that higher staged issues are positively valued and that persons are motivated to be above average in their preferences for issues. Conflict compromise and value theories may be helpful in understanding the process by which persons respond to the test and in predicting conditions under which group discussion of moral dilemmas will result in shifts in preferences for higher staged reasoning.

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

2004 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-71 ◽  
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.”

scholarly journals Measuring Moral Reasoning using Moral Dilemmas: Evaluating Reliability, Validity, and Differential Item Functioning of the Behavioral Defining Issues Test (bDIT)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youn-Jeng Choi ◽  
Hyemin Han ◽  
Kelsie J Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Differential Item Functioning ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Defining Issues Test ◽  
Test Duration ◽  
Item Functioning ◽  
Two Measures ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Acceptable Reliability

We evaluated the reliability, validity, and differential item functioning (DIF) of a shorter version of the Defining Issues Test-1 (DIT-1), the behavioral DIT (bDIT), measuring the development of moral reasoning. 353 college students (81 males, 271 females, 1 not reported; age M = 18.64 years, SD = 1.20 years) who were taking introductory psychology classes at a public University in a suburb area in the Southern United States participated in the present study. First, we examined the reliability of the bDIT using Cronbach’s α and its concurrent validity with the original DIT-1 using disattenuated correlation. Second, we compared the test duration between the two measures. Third, we tested the DIF of each question between males and females. Findings reported that first, the bDIT showed acceptable reliability and good concurrent validity. Second, the test duration could be significantly shortened by employing the bDIT. Third, DIF results indicated that the bDIT items did not favour any gender. Practical implications of the present study based on the reported findings are discussed.

Judging Moral Issues in a Multicultural Society

2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Passini ◽  
Paola Villano
Keyword(s):  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Moral Dilemma ◽  
Social Dominance Orientation ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Defining Issues Test ◽  
Multicultural Society ◽  
Moral Issues ◽  
Postconventional Reasoning ◽  
Observation Results

People’s reactions to crimes sometimes change depending on whether the perpetrators are members of their own ingroup or an outgroup. This observation results in questions concerning how moral reasoning works in intergroup situations. In this research, we analyzed the combined effect of the nationality of the protagonist in a moral dilemma and the participant’s social dominance orientation (SDO) attitudes on the participant’s level of moral reasoning. A total of 230 Italian participants responded to two moral dilemmas taken from the Defining Issues Test, which had been modified so that one was about an Italian and the other about a Romanian. The results showed a significant interaction between the dilemma, the protagonist’s nationality, and the participant’s SDO: The P scores (postconventional reasoning) of low-SDO participants were on the same level when they were judging people of either nationality, while high-SDO participants tended to have a higher P score when judging Italians as opposed to Romanians.

Relationship between Moral Development Test Scores of Juvenile Delinquents and Their Inclusion in a Moral Dilemma Discussion Group

1976 ◽  
Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1075-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert S. Fleetwood ◽  
Thomas S. Parish
Keyword(s):  
Moral Development ◽  
Juvenile Delinquents ◽  
Group Membership ◽  
Moral Dilemma ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Discussion Group ◽  
Defining Issues Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gain Scores

This study sought to determine whether or not the discussion of moral dilemmas was related to the gain scores obtained by juvenile delinquents on a test of moral development. 13 female and 16 male juvenile delinquents were assigned to a developmental group or a control group. The Defining Issues Test was administered as a pretest to determine levels of moral development. Subjects in the developmental group were then exposed to moral dilemmas which were used to stimulate group discussion moderated by the first investigator. The group discussion consisted of 6 l½-hr. sessions over a 4-wk. period. Comparison of pretest and posttest scores on the issues test showed that group membership was significantly related to gain scores. Subjects in the developmental group—but not the control group—scored substantially higher on the posttest than on the pretest. While the moral enhancement procedure used in this study may constitute a viable foundation for working with juvenile delinquents' responses on a moral judgment scale, it still remains to be seen if these procedures would interact in a similar fashion with the actual level of their moral behaviors.

Challenges of Media Ethics Education in Lebanon in the Midst of Political and Economic Pressure

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-290
Author(s):  
Maria Bou Zeid ◽  
Jessica R. El-Khoury
Keyword(s):  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Moral Dilemmas ◽  
Economic Pressure ◽  
Media Ethics ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Ethics Course ◽  
Complex Boundaries

The Lebanese media sector has played a pioneering role in the Arab world due to its free and diverse system. However, the lack of professional and ethical structures in journalistic practices can be attributed to political and economic pressures. Through both a quantitative and qualitative methodology, this study contributes to the complex boundaries of the Lebanese media landscape that make the gap between media ethics education and real-world pressures in need of sustained analysis. This research aims to explore the challenges media ethics education in Lebanon faces, along with the perceptions formed by media students about journalistic practices and the application of moral reasoning in the field. In addition, the study investigates whether media ethics courses prepare students for settling moral dilemmas in the professional arena. To address the multiple factors affecting ethics education, it is significant to understand the relationship between journalists and power, democratic norms, technological change, global community, and academic critiques. Survey and focus groups results indicated that the majority of students rated moral reasoning as important for their future media professions, and that the media ethics course prepares them for professional life. On the other hand, the majority believe that the corrupt system in Lebanon makes journalists resort to unethical practices which in turn compromise journalists’ credibility and integrity. Students consider that journalists have power as the so-called fourth estate, yet that power seems minimal when journalists lack the freedom to write facts without fear from editors and/or gatekeepers’ political views, economic pressure, and on-the-job demands, placing journalistic integrity again at stake.

The Influence of Challenge Course Participation on Moral and Ethical Reasoning

2002 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol A. Smith ◽  
Sharon E. Strand ◽  
Camille J. Bunting
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
University Students ◽  
Moral Reasoning ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Defining Issues Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Challenge Course ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

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.

Collectivism in Moral Development

1997 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 967-975 ◽  
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.

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

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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