An interview taped in 1978 with Constance Kamii, a child development researcher who studied Piagetian theory at the University of Geneva, is presented in this document. When asked what teachers of young children should keep in mind, Dr. Kamii talked about teaching to the child's level and cautioned against dealing with symbolic materials, advising…

This study examined the relationship between moral reasoning and altruistic behavior in 120 boys, 4- to 11-years old. Subjects were administered Damon's Positive- Justice Interview, and were presented helping and sharing tasks under five behavioral conditions corresponding to Damon's justice levels. Findings supported cognitive- developmental…

The author summarizes some of Piaget's beliefs, and states that the curriculum in today's schools must be changed in order to put into practice some of these beliefs, and to prepare students to reason together and work cooperatively to solve common world problems. (KC)

Children need to acquire the qualities of determination, carefulness, concentration, self-restraint, patience, conscientiousness, and endurance. These aspects of personal capability are important to the moral life in schools and thus should be part of their ethos. They must be modeled by teachers as ways to overcome and avoid difficulties. (VM)

Researchers analyzed the responses of second-, fourth-, and sixth-grade students who read three fables, and traced the relationship between grade level and stage of moral development. The children reflected different stages of moral development. The use of fables to elicit responses to moral questions is discussed. (PP)

Discusses research which focuses on the types of experience that foster the internalization of moral norms in an individual's development. Considers the roles of parents, peers, and the mass media, as well as cognitive development and arousal of affects such as empathy and guilt. (Author/GC)

A framework is presented for analyzing discourse during parent-child interaction about moral matters, using speech genres and registers. This analysis considers social, cultural, and historical influences on moral development and locates the origins of moral sensibilities and differences in moral functioning in the discourse parents and children…

Advocates teaching social skills and nurturing moral development to guide children toward positive social behavior and moral understanding. Recommends applying the same patience to teaching the social process as is applied to the teaching of the writing process. Argues against isolating children through the overuse of punishment. (SM)

Discusses how the author remembers Lawrence Kohlberg and how she came into a long-term conversation with him that influenced the course of her research. Emphasizes the impact that bringing women into studies of child development and psychology had on these fields. (DSK)

Describes in operational terms the benefits of Montessori's developmental perspective for children from birth to 3 years, and from 3 to 6 years. Identifies optimal outcomes for social, moral, cognitive, and emotional development to be used in educational and psychological research and for child assessment. (KB)

Presents the findings from two studies that demonstrate that parents' interactions, ego functioning, and moral reasoning are predictive of children's moral development. Illustrates the role of affective factors in moral socialization and the relevance of using real-life moral dilemmas in contrast to hypothetical ones. (CMK)

Defines ways normative concerns enter into the design and interpretation of empirical research on children's development of justice conceptions. Emphasizes William Damon's stage theory of development. Suggests an alternative research program based on adjustments between the normative and the empirical. Argues this program must focus on children's…

What is man? How do people differ in terms of their biological and psychological characteristics? What determines their thoughts, desires, and actions? These eternal questions, which have confronted thinkers and scientists since antiquity, relate directly to problems of upbringing. Under current conditions, it is increasingly obvious that to…

A study was conducted to determine if the responses of elementary school children to questions about the moral dilemmas in fables would reflect developmental trends in moral judgment, along the lines suggested by Jean Piaget. Sixty second, fourth, and sixth grade children listened to three tape-recorded fables and responded orally to questions…

This research on the development of moral thinking discusses the degree of moral readiness required for the comprehension of Biblical material by children. A review of the work of Dr. R. Goldman on the growth of children's religious concepts is provided. (Author/DB)