The simplest and most widely held definition of Social Darwinism is the application of concepts of biological evolution to social and moral development. More specifically, it is social evolution through "survival of the fittest" in a "struggle for existence" in which the strong prevail and the weak are defeated and disappear.…

Theory and research regarding moral motivation has focused for decades on the roles of moral reasoning and, to some extent, moral emotion. Recently, however, several models of morality have positioned identity as an additional important source of moral motivation. An individual has a moral identity to the extent that he or she has constructed his…

Presents an overview of articles written for this issue. Discusses what it means to focus on feminist perspectives of moral education and development. Suggests that conclusions about gender differences in morality are affected by methodology and that multiple methodologies and diverse samples should be employed. (DH)

This article reviews the past research and principles for facilitating moral growth through group discussion and the theories of judgment-action discrepancies. An intervention model is suggested which utilizes actual moral misbehaviors as the basis for both moral discussion and behavioral intervention. (Author/DB)

This paper explores Max Weber's study of the origins of the secularization of the Puritan work ethic and examines the hybridized category of secular science expert. The hybrid construct provides an opening for the critical analysis of the concrete activity of development from two perspectives, the structural and the individual. The individual…

Educating for personal and social responsibility, from the perspective of moral cognition, involves promoting students' cognitive development. The literature suggests several approaches as successful in promoting cognitive development. Though Kohlberg views this development as primarily facilitated by dialogue with individuals in more advanced …

Argues that there are two types of values held by all individuals. Contends that "hard" values are exemplified by consistent behavior and sacrifice whereas "soft" values are merely illustrated by making choices. Calls for a national consensus on recommended values that would be taught in the schools. (CFR)

Challenges Christopher Ormell's contention that individual values should be categorized into "hard" and "soft" values. Suggests that a continuum exists between the two extremes representing the degree of difficulty and sacrifice. Recommends that values education in schools be based on a continuum ranging between the two…

Reports on a study of teachers' attitudes and moral judgment. Finds that teachers who participated in a Just Community Approach Program changed their beliefs about fairness, justice, and responsibility. Suggests that this type of staff development can help teachers deal with situational conflicts. (CFR)

Social scientists and educators who favor the developmental approach to values acquisition focus on the individual and his or her own psychological growth as the means to acquiring a healthy set of values. On the other hand, those who favor the transmission approach to values acquisition focus on the instillation of societal and group norms in the…

Compares contemporary issues related to moral and citizenship education in Poland with similar era in late eighteenth century. Describes an educational reform effort that began in 1773 and was based on nationalistic and romantic literature of the time. Contends that the moral values that were derived from this literature are essential for the…

Homer's epic poetry illustrates correspondence between society's needs and the values stressed in education, while Socrates' thought uncovers contradictions between social and educational values and seeks a new form of correspondence. Examples from the Epics and Plato's early dialogues trace changing educational attitudes among the Classical…

Reports on the K-6 civic education curriculum being implemented in the public schools of Brighton, Colorado. The curriculum enhances logical thinking and decision making skills through application of psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg's theories of the stages of moral reasoning. (DB)

The document discusses the nature of moral judgment, reviews previous studies which link higher education to moral judgment, and presents results of a longitudinal study comparing college and non-college subjects. This project report from the Higher Education and Cognitive-Social Development Project at the University of Minnesota is presented in…

Strategies for promoting moral development in early adolescence reviewed include the "plus-one" model, Deliberate Psychological Education, didactic courses in social studies, and a high school Just Community on moral reasoning. (CJ)