Child Development and Education, Fourth Edition © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Development of Morality and Interpersonal Behaviors Chapter 14
Child Development and Education, Fourth Edition
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All rights reserved.
Development of Moralityand Interpersonal
Behaviors
Chapter 14
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
2
Chapter Outline Moral reasoning and behavior Interpersonal behaviors
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
3
Moral Reasoning and Behavior
Acquiring standards about right & wrong
Analyzing moral issues thoughtfully Engaging in behaviors that reflect
concern for other people’s rights, needs
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
4
Kohlberg’s Theory Children construct standards for right &
wrong Moral dilemma: In Europe, a woman was near death
from a rare form of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2,000, ten times what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half of what the drug cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said no. So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife. (Kohlberg, 1984, p. 186)
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Kohlberg’s Theory Preconventional reasoning
Stage 1: Punishment-avoidance and obedience
Stage 2: Exchange of favors Conventional reasoning
Stage 3: Good boy/good girl Stage 4: Law and order
Postconventional reasoning Stage 5: Social contract Stage 6: Universal ethical principle
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Weaknesses in Kohlberg’s Theory
Moral issues (e.g., causing harm) conflated with social conventions (e.g., having rules to help society run smoothly)
Helping and showing compassion for others overlooked
Cognitive factors emphasized, but emotions overlooked
Importance of environmental & situational factors overlooked
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Developmental Trends Internal standards develop early
right vs. wrong before age 2 psychological harm is bad by age 3 physical harm is bad by age 4
Children increasingly distinguish between moral transgressions & violations of cultural expectations
Capacity to respond emotionally to others increases during childhood
guilt, shame, empathy, sympathy Understanding of fairness evolves throughout
childhood distributive justice self → equality → special needs
Children increasingly apply self-chosen moral standards
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Factors Affecting Moral Development
General cognitive development ability to reason
Sense of self high self-efficacy for helping behaviors development of identity
Interaction with peers sharing, cooperative behavior, conflict
resolution Adults’ reasons and rationales
induction, mild punishment Exposure to moral issues and dilemmas Religion
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Diversity in Moral Development
Gender girls more likely to experience guilt, shame,
empathy care vs. justice orientation (C. Gilligan)
Culture & ethnicity most value individual rights and concern for
others different standards for right/wrong religion plays a role
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Promoting Moral Development
Make clear which behaviors are acceptable, which are not, and why
Discuss moral issues Challenge children to develop more
advanced reasoning Encourage community service Foster religious tolerance
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Interpersonal Behaviors Development of social skills
experience/practice direct teaching observation
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Developmental Trends, Peer Interaction
Infancy attachment, joint attention, play, &
language Early childhood
play groups of 2 or 3 children unoccupied behavior, solitary play,
onlooker behavior, parallel play, associative play, cooperative play (including sociodramatic/fantasy)
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
13
Developmental Trends, Peer Interaction
Middle childhood group activities, esp. rule-based games eagerness to conform to social norms managing conflicts and cooperation
Early adolescence increased reliance on peers for support and
recreation more peer pressure
increased group division by race or ethnicity Late adolescence
greater ability to view others as individuals fewer groups, more flexibility in selecting friends
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
14
Prosocial Behavior & Aggression
Prosocial: promotes well-being of others common if distress was caused by something
uncontrollable common if benefits outweigh risks
Aggression: to hurt another intentionally physical relational proactive reactive
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Characteristics of Aggressive Children
Poor social perspective-taking ability Misinterpretation of social cues
hostile attributional bias Self-serving goals Ineffective social problem-solving
strategies Beliefs about the appropriateness and
effectiveness of aggression
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Diversity in Interpersonal Behavior
Gender boys: higher priority on physical action, more
physically aggressive, more assertive girls: slightly more kind & considerate, more
relationally aggressive Culture and ethnicity
model & teach different interpersonal behaviors some encourage competition, others cooperation
Special needs/exceptionalities children with high intelligence: good social skills children with disabilities: many have strong
interpersonal skills; some need assistance
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Fostering Effective Interpersonal Skills
Teach specific social skills and problem-solving strategies
Label appropriate behaviors as they occur Plan cooperative activities Expose children to models of prosocial
behavior Provide opportunities for positive impact in
the community Give concrete guidelines for behavior Develop peer mediation program
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Creating a Safe School Environment
Level I: Creating a nonviolent school environment
Level II: Intervening early for students at risk
Level III: Providing intensive intervention for students in trouble
Child Development and Education, Fourth EditionTeresa M. McDevitt and Jeanne Ellis Ormrod
© 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.All Rights Reserved.
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Take-Home Messages Moral reasoning & interpersonal skills develop over time
and in culture-specific ways Infants
uncomfortable when others are hurt show interest in others and make simple social gestures
Preschoolers aware that harmful actions are wrong cooperation, negotiation, conflict resolution begin to develop
Older children understand fairness increasing capacity to feel guilt, shame, empathy more influenced by peers, become increasingly prosocial
Adolescents more advanced reasoning, but personal needs & self-interests
often affect moral decisions Some children and adolescents display troublesome levels
of physical or psychological aggression and may need help.