Describes Kohlberg's interview test and Rest's Defining Issues Test and indicates that these are usable, reliable ways of assessing an individual's moral judgment development level. Evidence for accepting a developmental sequence in moral judgment is presented. Impressions about educational intervention are offered. (Author/CC)

Critiques Lawrence Kohlberg's Moral Judgment Instrument and evaluates reliability and validity data available on the instrument. Concludes that available data do not support the reliability and validity of the instrument and that further research is necessary. Available from: Department of Social Science Education, University of Georgia, Athens,…

Relates therapeutic outcomes to moral development. Suggests that by addressing the problem of alienation, individuals evolve into moral agents who begin to perceive themselves, others, and the world in new ways. Warns that a person who experiences this moral restoration faces societal conditions which work against therapeutic change. (KO)

Extends parallel of cognitive and moral development to levels of spiritual development and denominational choice. Suggests with an awareness of the client's level of spiritual development, the therapist can be of greater assistance to clients asking for assistance in clarification of spiritual dilemmas. (Author/ABL)

Investigates the sequence and trajectory of the development of moral reasoning, particularly in adulthood, and the relationships among education, gender, and moral-reasoning-stage change. Results of interviews with predominantly white, well-educated, middle-class participants indicate that moral reasoning, as conceptualized by Kohlberg, can…

Notes that moral decisions include both moral concepts and factual beliefs. Considers possible sources of variation in factual beliefs and presents research into children's and adults' thinking about practices based on factual beliefs different from their own. Discusses how individuals take these differences into account when judging the seemingly…

Asserts that this text by Matthews is a remedy to the scant attention paid to philosophical questioning by children. Describes the book's attempt to set children's philosophical questions against a re-examination of children's art and literature, legal issues regarding children's autonomy, and psychological models of the child's cognitive and…

Exposes the structural-functionalist roots of Kohlberg's theory of moral development, questioning the application of Kohlberg's ideas in the classroom, reviewing Kohlberg's Just Community model, examining Durkheim's and Dreeben's theories and their similarity to Kohlberg's moral theory, critiquing Kohlberg's conception of the Just Community…

Noting that research on cognitive development and on values are normally separate, the author shows the connection by closely examining different ways in which teachers relate to students. Modes of discipline based on positional authority, and even force, rather than on an ethical dialogue, not only reduce students' self-esteem but also limit…

In this article, the authors report on the Operation Houndstooth Intervention Theory (OHIT), which fosters social awareness and utilizes the talents of the gifted to build social capital, that is, a program in which gifted students with high potential use their ability to help others. The six approaches of OHIT are described: (1) The…

In response to Gibbs' (see record 2006-08257-011) defense of neo-Kohlbergian models of morality, the authors question whether revisions in Kohlberg's model constitute a coherent refinement of the cognitive-developmental approach. The authors argue that neo-Kohlbergian measures of moral development assess an aspect of morality (the most…

The relationship among substance abuse counselors' education, experience, recovery status, and cognitive development (conceptual complexity and moral reasoning levels) was examined in a simultaneous multiple regression. Significant relationships were found between counselors' level of conceptual complexity and moral reasoning and their education.…

This longitudinal study analyzed the relationship between structure and content of socio-moral reasoning. Using a system that defines independently the cognitive organizational and content aspects of socio-moral reasoning, the study examined whether persons at different developmental levels make use of different content categories, and whether the…

Piaget systematically attempted to relate cognitive, moral, and emotional development in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. In his view, cognitive and emotional development show parallel, complementary courses of development, with cognition providing the structure and emotion the energy of development. Just as children go through stages of…