Differences in approach to three hypothetical dental moral dilemmas were found among dental students, but the differences were strongest in the early years of dental education, before significant patient contact. Freshmen rated principled reasons higher than older students. Further research into causes and actual behavior is recommended. (MSE)

This study investigated the relative effectiveness of principle testing discussion (PTD) and its possible interaction with moral development levels in students' demonstrations of positive attitudes toward women, the physically handicapped, and East Indians. Analysis of attitude scale responses provided equivocal support for the use of PTD.…

Six hundred adolescents and 25 teachers responded to incidents containing a moral issue. Overall there was moral development with age, as suggested by Piaget, but many (by Piaget's definitions) immature responses were recorded on some incidents, even by adults. The context in which issues were presented was an important influence. (Author/SJL)

This study examined the moral growth effects on 18 college students of year-long participation in ACTION, a volunteer antipoverty program. While scores on the Defining Issues Test did not indicate increased moral growth, students generally viewed their agency learning experience more positively than their university classes. (Author/SJL)

College students were divided into four groups and administered the standard version of the Defining Issues Test (DIT) and/or a self-orientation version of the same instrument. Subjects displayed greater amounts of principled moral reasoning when responding to the standard (other-orientation) version. (Author/GK)

Investigated the interrelationships among young adults' levels of moral reasoning, their preferred discipline style, and the way they say they would reason with children on moral issues. (Author/DB)

Two classrooms of first graders (N=40) were administered Damon's moral judgment measure, Shure and Spivack's social problem solving measure, and the Stanford-Binet vocabulary. Concurrently, two observers in the children's school environment recorded incidences of successful resolutions of interactions, amount of derogation, and the number of times…

Although research on the moral development of college students is in its infancy, recent findings indicate promise for future study and institutional action. The theory of moral development is described from a cognitive developmental perspective, and research on improving thinking about justice and fairness at the college level is examined.…

Efforts to deal with a continuing crisis in sociological values must involve the best that education, the humanities, and the behavioral sciences can offer. (Author)

Compared to a peer group of average abilities, gifted and talented junior high school students appeared more outgoing, participating, insightful, fast-learning, intellectually adaptable, conscientious, persistent, and moralistic, thus indicating significant between-group differences. (SB)

Kohlberg's moral dilemmas were used to determine levels of moral reasoning among 115 adolescents representing urban middle class and lower class, kibbutz-born and Youth Aliyah (disadvantaged urban youth educated in the kibbutz), Moslem and Christian groups in Israel. (Author/DB)

Describes a study undertaken to determine why citizens who endorse democratic procedural norms in the abstract are unable to apply these norms to unpopular groups or actions. Findings indicated that principled thinkers surpass nonprincipled thinkers in applying democratic principles and that educators should work to facilitate development of civic…

Stresses that values and moral education can be compatible with content-oriented social studies instruction. Explains how teachers of junior and senior high school students can assist students to use problem-solving and decision-making processes to make rational decisions, clarify values, and understand content. (Author/DB)