An Application of Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Dilemma Discussion to the Japanese Classroom and its Effect on Moral Development of Japanese Students

In this chapter, the author looks at some additional ingredients that are essential for leading a compassionate, flourishing life. They include psychological well-being, ethics, and moral resilience, as well as social engagement and principled compassionate actions. The author shows that counselling, coaching, and psychotherapy can bring about additional clarity, openness, and deep healing. The author also looks at the importance of moral resilience to deal with moral challenges that include moral uncertainty, moral conflict, and moral dilemma. The author shows that moral development consists of four components: moral sensitivity, judgment/reasoning, motivation, and character/courage, and describes how following the precepts could aid in moral development and building moral resilience. Last, the author shows that a truly transformative approach to living a compassionate life needs to address not only our personal relations to suffering, but also acknowledge that personal suffering has societal causes which require us to be socially engaged through principled compassionate actions.

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Dr. Kohlberg Goes to Washington: Using Congressional Debates to Teach Moral Development

Teaching of Psychology ◽

10.1207/s15328023top2204_9 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 245-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Johnna K. Shapiro

Keyword(s):

Moral Development ◽

Human Development ◽

Real World ◽

Moral Dilemma ◽

Introductory Psychology ◽

Moral Decision ◽

Congressional Debates ◽

Stage Of Development

In his theory of moral development, Kohlberg (1976) stressed that the reasoning behind a moral decision is more important in determining a person's stage of development than the decision itself. Students in introductory psychology and human development courses may have difficulty appreciating this distinction, as well as the differences among Kohlberg's stages. An activity is described in which arguments from congressional debates provide a real-world moral dilemma, to which students can apply Kohlberg's theory. Suggestions on how to use the arguments are presented, as well as possible discussion topics on the validity and usefulness of the theory.

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Moral Orientation Dynamics in Adolescence and Youth

Psychological-Educational Studies ◽

10.17759/psyedu.2014060412 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 134-146

Author(s):

S.V. Molchanov ◽

O.S. Markina

Keyword(s):

Moral Development ◽

Moral Dilemma ◽

Age Groups ◽

Moral Judgments ◽

Sensitive Period ◽

Young Adolescents ◽

Moral Orientation ◽

Modern Psychology ◽

Older Adolescents ◽

Different Levels

The problem of moral development is actual for modern psychology. Modern conception of moral development defines two main principles in the basis of moral orientation: care principle and justice principle. Adolescence and youth are sensitive period to develop moral orientation. 139 subjects from three age groups: young adolescents, older adolescents and youth took part in the investigation. Results shows age dynamic of moral judgments preferences, moral dilemma solving with different levels of motivation to achieve and be approved.

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EFL Teachers’ Moral Dilemma and Epistemic Beliefs

Journal of Language and Cultural Education ◽

10.2478/jolace-2019-0002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 19-34

Author(s):

Amin Karimnia ◽

Meisam Jamadi

Keyword(s):

Moral Development ◽

Epistemological Beliefs ◽

Moral Dilemma ◽

Correlation Method ◽

Moral Dilemmas ◽

English Teachers ◽

Defining Issues Test ◽

Moral Principles ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

The Impact

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between English teachers’ epistemological beliefs and moral dilemma. In doing so, 70 English teachers were selected from different language institutes and were included in the research sample. The instruments used to collect the data included the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ) and the Defining Issues Test (DIT). The collected data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation method and descriptive statistics in SPSS software. The findings revealed that the participants believed that knowledge improves with experience over time, and that there was also an innate ability to acquire knowledge. They also displayed conflicting views about the simplicity/complexity of knowledge. The analysis of different stages of moral development in the views of the English teachers showed an ascending trend in the moral development from stage 2 (the focus on personal interests) through stage 6 (appeal to intuitive moral principles/ideals). Besides, significant differences were found among different stages of moral development as assessed by the EFL teachers and also in terms of the impact of different moral reasoning schemas on the participants when making judgments about different moral dilemmas.

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

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1976.39.3f.1075 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 39 (3_suppl) ◽

pp. 1075-1080 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

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.

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Values to be Caught and Taught: The Response of the Church to the Teenage Moral Dilemma

Journal of Youth and Theology ◽

10.1163/24055093-90000100 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 23-35

Author(s):

Rian Prins

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Moral Development ◽

Moral Dilemma ◽

Great Opportunity ◽

Community Of Faith ◽

Number Of Factors ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Church

This paper discusses a number of factors that hamper moral development and which indicates that purposeful and well-planned attention must be paid to the moral development of the youth. The church, especially, has an important responsibility and a great opportunity in this respect. The role of the church is, primarily, not what it does for the youth, but what it should be for the youth, namely a true community of faith. Through identification with the congregation, identification with the congregation's values and norms takes place. Moral consultation and decision-making should function within such a context. Moral development takes place within the dialectic relationship of initiation and communication of values and norms.

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