Psychology PSYB3 Complete Evaluations

Moral Comparisons

• Cognitive Demand
• Demand Characteristics
• Two variables manipulated
• Intention is only implied.

Theory

• Relied on children explaining complex ideas through language
• Research based on a small sample of own and friend's children.
• 2 sets of rules - moral & social - moral learned first. 
• Doesn't allow for advancement after 10 years.
• Children found to question rules set by parents.

Theory

• Three parts of personality - explains inner conflict
• No empirical evidence that the three parts actually exist. 
• Claim that conscience emerges at 6 not supported by others.
• Evidence to suggest parents with punishing approach have misbehaving children . 
• Hoffman - little difference between development in boys & girls
• Gilligan - biased by assumptions about male superiority.
• Children with only one parent develop normally.  
• Other people such as peers can influence a children's moral behaviour. 

Moral Dilemmas

• Cognitive demand
• Demand Characteristics
• Validity - measures education.
• Lack of predictive validity because hypothetical

Theory

• Colby Study - stages supported in 58 US males. 
• Snarey - Cross-Cultural - support but stage 5 & 6 doubtful. 
• Fodor - delinquents operate at a lower level. 
• Colby & Kohlberg - only 15% reach stage 5, no evidence for 6.
• Theory centred around males - Gilligan.

Distributive Justice Dilemmas

• Little predictive validity
• Based on children's everyday experiences.
• Example of a dilemma.  
• Hypothetical. 

Theory

• findings replicated in other countries. 
• Studies 4 to 10 year olds like Piaget
• Enright Study - findings match Damon's stages. 
• Damon Study - 3 years - 85% showed progress to a higher level.
• Based on Justice and Fairness - new perspective.

Moral Dilemmas

• Cognitive Demand
• Directly relevant to children . 
• Better test of individual's moral reasoning - no legal issues. 
• Predictive validity - hypothetical 

Theory

• Stages similar to Kohlberg
  - Hedonistic ----> Instrumental Relativist.
  - Approval & stereotypes ---->  Good Boy/Nice Girl
  - Strongly Internalised ----> Universal Ethical. 
• theory has validity 
• Supported in western cultures (Germany, Italy, Poland)
• Not supported in non-western ( Papua New Guinea)
• Better measure of morals - no legal issues.  

Research

• Small Sample - 39
• Wide age range
• Real-life dilemmas - increased validity. 
• Conclusion of her study. 

Theory

• Made a contribution - gender debate in moral development. 
• Walker- reviewed all evidence - no gender differences. 
• Comparison with Kohlberg - males/females etc. 
• Johnson - men & women have both orientations - can switch. 
• Studies shown type of reasoning depends on dilemma type rather than gender.