Uses Rousseau's "Emile" to explicate Kohlberg's characterization of moral development and to illuminate several theoretical problems in Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental account. Analysis supports contentions that Kohlberg's concept of morality is unduly narrow and suggests that his one-sidedly rationalistic approach exaggerates the…

Investigates the sequence and trajectory of the development of moral reasoning, particularly in adulthood, and the relationships among education, gender, and moral-reasoning-stage change. Results of interviews with predominantly white, well-educated, middle-class participants indicate that moral reasoning, as conceptualized by Kohlberg, can…

Reviews the theoretical assumptions of Kohlberg's cognitive-development analysis of moral reasoning; discusses the construction of moral education programs along Kohlberg's principles; and emphasizes the psychological processes which account for the growth of moral reasoning during adulthood. (Author/AYC)

Liberal arts approaches to university education and many theories of counseling share as a goal the development of critical thinking in the individuals served. Such thinking requires the ability to consider the context within which one is working and the context within which the events and ideas under consideration occur. William Perry has…

The purpose of this study was to discover if there was a relationship in decisions made between adults and 11-year old students assumed to be at different levels of the formal operations stage in their responses to a situation calling for a moral judgment. (Author)

Reconceptualizes Kohlberg's theory and research on moral stages in the light of recent criticisms. A proposed revision describes moral development in adulthood as existential rather than Piagetian and restricts moral judgment in the standard stage sense to childhood and adolescence. (Author/SS)

Outlines theoretical issues associated with the presupposition that sociocognitive features of maturity can potentially generate worthwhile learning. Reviews recent research into the impact of adult-education-certified courses on mature students' sense of identity that supports claims for continued adult learning. Links are made to lifelong moral…

Three types of lay theories about the social world form a developmental sequence. Earlier developing theories are reorganized at the next level into a more inclusive, encompassing view of the world in order to make better predictions. The absolute thinker sees the world as fixed and unchanging, reasons with absolute rules, and has a narrow world…

Research in the fields of management, leadership development, and human development is reviewed. The research suggests that the quality of an individual's personal life, the effectiveness of his/her professional work, and the lasting public value of his/her social contribution are contingent upon a coherent sense of personal integration and…