Four experiments were conducted to explore issues in the development and modification of both moral choices and judgments of achievement using concepts and data from a social judgment perspective. In the first experiment, college students functioning at different reasoning levels indicated on a 20-point scale their strength of belief that an…

Considering that values and value systems are determinants of human behavior and that the school system is a primary agent of values inculcation, this study assesses whether the school setting has an impact on the value priorities of students. The Rokeach Value Survey was administered to 68 students of both sexes attending three local high schools…

Fifteen boys and 15 girls were interviewed during their seventh, ninth, and twelfth years about a friendship dilemma in which the protagonist had to decide whether to keep a promise given to a friend or to accept an invitation from a third child. Interviews assessed descriptive and prescriptive aspects of the differentiation and coordination of…

In order to justify ethical instruction for media students, 109 university students in basic communication courses were asked to confront a moral-ethical problem, specifically, the request for information that a sponsoring company or organization wished suppressed. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: working for a public…

Addressed to those responsible for educating the rising generation, this collection of excerpts from educational reports is designed to reflect and to encourage the recent emphasis on excellence and civic virtue in public schools. After a foreword by President Reagan, the publication presents an essay by William J. Bennett discussing…

A study examined Carol Gilligan's theory of moral reasoning, seeking evidence to either support or deny the claim that individuals primarily use one of two different sets of sex-related constructs to arrive at decisions when faced with moral dilemmas. Subjects, 20 young lawyers and psychologists (equally divided as to men and women), were…

U.S. military service academies hope to develop high standards of moral value among cadets. Tests of "values" are difficult to construct and utilize properly. This paper discusses the strengths and limitations of the Rokeach Value Scales, which have been widely used to measure civilian adult and student values in the U.S., Australia, and…

Part 1 of this dissertation contains an introductory chapter entitled, "The Children Shout Fight Fight," in which the written analytical process named Scriptotherapy is discussed. In Chapter 1, "Early Adolescence an Ongoing Process," early adolescent growth and development, the process of moral development, temperament types…

The value of developmental baseline information is examined from an educational point of view. Data from studies on preschool children and primary and secondary school students that were carried out in Singapore are focal to the discussion. Sections of the paper concern: (1) assumptions about the value of baseline data on human development and…

In an attempt to understand human aggressive behavior, psychologists have explored and emphasized variables related to the aggressor, the victim, and the situation, e.g., intentions of the aggressor and the consequences for the victim. Observer-related variables, such as level of moral reasoning have not been studied. To examine the relationship…

This paper reports two studies that examined changes in the participants' level of moral reasoning after exposure to the Kohlberg cognitive-developmental intervention model (1975). This approach focuses on universal moral principles which are manifested in a series of developmental stages. Knowledge of these stages provides one with an outline for…

Many educational philosophers and researchers have argued the importance of including ethical study and reflection in educational preparation programs, both for prospective teachers and administrators. Among other potential benefits, a moral foundation allows educators to evaluate current practices and assess their work amidst a seemingly…

This publication contains the proceedings of the 1980 annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society (OVPES) held at the University of Kentucky. There are four parts to the proceedings. The first part presents the presidential address "Strategic Thinking, Reason, and Education: A Critique of Re-Industrialization" and a response…

The paper is a philosophical examination of values education. It is presented in three major sections. First, there is a discussion of the role that value education has played in the American educational system. A historical review of four documents published by national educational groups and the government indicates that moral education has been…

Viewing illegitimacy from an individualist, deviant behavior frame of reference has not been useful because of the high prevalence of illegitimacy. Theories attributing illegitimacy to the social marginality of subcultures are inadequate to explain illegitimacy among working class and middle class children. Theories based on the notion that…