Moral Development

Moral Development: AP Psychology Study Guide

Hey there, budding psychologists and moral philosophers! Get ready to dive deep into the sophisticated world of moral development—a place where even your pet goldfish has a conscience (well, maybe). Think of this as your guide to why you side-eye someone who cuts in line and cheer for the unlikely hero. 🍿

Jean Piaget, the Swiss brainiac who probably had "cognition" for breakfast, suggested that moral reasoning starts taking shape when kids learn to think symbolically. Imagine a child realizing that the cookie represents sweet, sweet joy and not just a round piece of dough. Morality, justice, and equality are no less complicated. Children and adolescents develop these concepts as their noggins sprout and grow.

Lawrence Kohlberg, the guy who took moral dilemmas as seriously as Sherlock takes his deerstalker hat, proposed that moral reasoning evolves through distinct stages. He even conducted dramatic moral dilemmas where people had to make tough ethical choices. Meet his star dilemma: the Heinz Dilemma:

Heinz's Case: Heinz’s wife is super sick and needs an expensive drug that Heinz can’t afford. The chemist, playing the ultimate bad guy, refuses to lower the price. Heinz is left with the dilemma: Should he steal the drug to save his wife?

Let's break these stages down:

In the preconventional stage (before age 9), kids are like little lawyers focused on rules and consequences. They might say Heinz should steal the drug to be a superhero or refrain from stealing to dodge jail time. Basically, it's all about "What's in it for me?" 🍭

Example: Little Timmy thinks, "If I help Mom clean, I might get an extra cookie!"

Around early adolescence, kids hit the conventional stage where morality is as much about social norms as it is about mom's famous casserole. They begin to mirror the moral standards of their role models, but they don't question them much.

Example: Teen Sarah believes, "Everyone says stealing is wrong, so Heinz should not steal the drug, because criminals are bad people."

Finally, we enter the postconventional stage, where people start debating moral principles as if they were in a philosophical café. Here, morality springs from personal principles that emphasize human rights and justice. This might sound lofty, but don't worry—achieving this stage is like becoming a Jedi; not everyone gets there.

Example: Young adult Jamie reasons, "Heinz should steal the drug, because saving a life is more important than profits, even if he faces legal consequences."

Kohlberg's Stages: The Cheat Sheet

• Preconventional Morality: Rules are rules, and consequences are king. It's the "self-interest" stage.
• Conventional Morality: Being a "good boy" or "nice girl." Social norms dictate behavior.
• Postconventional Morality: Universal principles rule. It's about justice, equality, and ethical reasoning.

Some critics point out that Kohlberg's research was done mostly in individualistic cultures where personal decision-making is prized. In more collectivistic societies, where community standards run the show, postconventional morality is less common.

Enter Carol Gilligan, a feminist psychologist who said, "Wait a minute, Larry!" She believed Kohlberg’s theory was too male-focused. According to Gilligan, men and women approach moral dilemmas differently:

• Men: Tend to operate on a justice-based system. Think fairness, laws, and autonomy.
• Women: Lean towards a care-based system. Their moral compass points to interconnectedness, empathy, and reducing harm.

Basically, Gilligan suggested that while men might be debating the fine points of justice, women are more likely to be figuring out how to not hurt anyone's feelings in the process.

• Kohlberg: Cognitive heavy. Focuses on moral reasoning through a series of stages.
• Gilligan: All about the feels. Adds the emotional and gender aspects to moral decision-making.

For practical application (and maybe some candy), consider the famous study where masked children were observed during Halloween trick-or-treating:

Experiment Summary:

• Some children arrived at a house alone; others in groups.
• Half the kids were asked to remove their masks.
• All kids were told to take just one piece of candy, but the homeowner went inside, leaving the candy out.

The psychologist measured how many kids took extra candy. The hypothesis? Solo, masked kids would be greedier. Spoiler alert: The results supported this.

Key Learnings:

• Children’s behavior varied based on anonymity and social context.
• Concepts like modeling, deindividuation, and preconventional morality played roles in their choices.

Key Terms to Know

• Care-Based System: Focuses on empathy and individual circumstances.
• Collectivistic Societies: Prioritize group interests over individuals'.
• Conventional Morality: Second level in Kohlberg’s stages, focusing on social approval and order.
• Cross-Cultural Studies: Compare cultures to understand human behavior globally.
• Heinz Dilemma: A moral dilemma involving a man considering stealing a drug to save his wife.
• Individualistic Societies: Value individual independence and self-reliance.
• Justice-Based System: Focuses on fairness and equality.
• Moral Reasoning: Process of figuring out right from wrong using logic.
• Postconventional Morality: Decisions are based on self-defined ethical principles.
• Preconventional Morality: Morality based on self-interest and consequences.

Conclusion

So, there you have it! Moral development isn’t just about being a good person; it's about understanding the complex machinery behind our ethical decisions. Next time you find yourself pondering a moral dilemma, whether it's about Heinz or your last slice of pizza, remember the stages of moral reasoning and perhaps even the moral battles between Kohlberg and Gilligan.

Good luck acing your AP Psychology exam. Stay thoughtful, stay moral, and stay awesome! 🤓👍