This paper deals with some of the social and educational implications of Piaget's concept of "stages", (as formulated in structural-developmental psychology) and focuses on a basic aspect of interpersonal cognition--social perspective-taking ability. The analysis emphasizes the structure of social understanding rather than the content,…

An instrument to measure various aspects of children's character, including self-esteem, altruism, and integrity or responsibility was developed. The 48-item test was given to 111 4- and 5-year-old Hawaiian children. Test reliability and factor structures were determined. The three factors are discussed. Further development is continuing;…

This document presents a summary of a dissertation concerning the developmental relationship between moral judgment and person judgment. Subjects were 144 middle class male first graders and sixth graders from paroachial schools. The children watched three films of a boy doing damage. The experimentally crucial film showed the same boy…

This study investigated the effects of training on reciprocity judgments in 43 white, middle class children, ages 38 to 68 months. Hypotheses were (1) children trained to make mature responses to interpersonal conflicts would make more mature judgments in illustrated story conflict situations than those receiving no training, (2) children exposed…

This report reviews evidence concerned with age-related aspects of social perception processes and their effects on overt behavior. Focus is on the variability among children in comprehension and evaluation of action, motives, and consequences of modeled behavior. Findings indicated that comprehension of acts in terms of motives and correctness of…

Methods and results are described of a study to determine if elementary classroom teachers in Colorado (1) have knowledge of the valuing education process; (2) have a preference for teaching values as opposed to values clarification, other valuing processes, or moral reasoning; and (3) can define the terms values and valuing. Ninety-two teachers…

The application of information integration concepts to judicial, political and moral judgments is discussed. The authors describe how the information integration theory can provide a unitary treatment of judgement on both conception and quantitative levels. The decision-making processes involved in the courtroom setting, political choice, and…

This study investigates the relation between Psychosocial Maturity and a dimension of moral judgment. Form D of the Psychosocial Maturity Inventory and Form B of the Survey of Ethical Attitudes (SEA) were administered to 182 tenth grade students. Predicted negative correlations between SEA and two Social Adequacy subscales were marginally…

In this study of perspective taking and moral judgment 20 children (10 boys and 10 girls) at each age level between 4 and 10 years were given Feffer's Social Role-Taking Task, a spatial perspective-taking task and Damon's Test of Positive Justice. Investigated were: (1) the specific developmental sequences for role taking, spatial…

Both the ethics of the profession and state school law require teachers to model in the conduct of education the behavior they expect of their students. Examples of the disparity between practice and creed imply a need for educators to face up to the moral obligations of their profession. (Author)

Criticizes developmental psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of education which classifies children according to their stage in moral development and then attempts to manipulate them from stage to stage. The author feels that Kohlberg insults religious faith, intrudes upon a parent's right to direct his/her child's moral upbringing, and turns…

Although in favor of developmental psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development, the author cautions about possible results of using moral reasoning discussions in the classroom. These include: (1) indoctrination, (2) moral authoritarianism, (3) relativism, (4) the "morality as medicine" syndrome, (5) and the "doing Kohlberg"…

Weekend workshops for teachers, focusing upon moral development, prove helpful to participants in encouraging them to understand and strengthen their own moral values, thus enabling them to encourage development of sound values in their students. (JD)

Empirically weighted scores for Rest's Defining Issues Test were found to be more reliable than the simple sum of scores theoretically weighted sum, or Rest's p scores. They also had slightly higher correlations with Kohlberg's interview scores. Empirically weighted scores also showed more significant change in two longitudinal studies. (CTM)

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)