Although cognitive developmentalists explain moral stage progression in part by experiences of disequilibrium (cognitive disorganization, confusion, an anxious search for order), relevant data collected from 75 college students indicate that there is no difference in reported disequilibrium between those in moral transition and those not in moral…

This paper begins by examining two approaches to defining and measuring adolescents' understanding of the public good: (1) theories concerning stages of moral and cognitive development and political socialization; and (2) attitudinal survey methods. Methodological deficiencies of the approaches are identified. The paper presents a new method of…

Presented is an analysis of the back-to-basics movement and four areas of pedagogical concern that are fundamental to both basic education and environmental education: environmental science, inquiry, cognitive development, and bioethical development. (WB)

Two classrooms of first graders (N=40) were administered Damon's moral judgment measure, Shure and Spivack's social problem solving measure, and the Stanford-Binet vocabulary. Concurrently, two observers in the children's school environment recorded incidences of successful resolutions of interactions, amount of derogation, and the number of times…

Pairs of elementary school children at different concept development levels were given problems to discuss, in order to examine the prediction, derived from the equilibration model, that when two children holding different beliefs must arrive at a consenus, the child possessing the higher level of cognitive development will prevail over the child…

If health education is to develop into a discipline that increases the competencies of people to implement decisions about health behaviors, the development of a paradigm that can be used as an alternative to the behavior change paradigm is required. Several models of behavior change are presented. (JN)

Two opposite views of the relations between moral cognition and moral action are described, their contrasting assumptions and implications are clarified, and the available empirical literature is reviewed. Research relating moral reasoning to real-life moral behaviors is summarized, with special attention given to design, measurement, and…

This study examined the issue of how groups of students attempting to solve problems can be taught to consider moral aspects of the problem at a mature level. Classes in Swiss cantons (N=42) were given one of three different moral problems. Each class was divided into eight groups. The three treatments were: (1) provision of additional background…

Discusses an intervention strategy for interpersonal problems in which primary grade students reflect on personal experiences and dilemma stories to increase social cognitive skills. Two first grade classes participated in an experiment applying this intervention method. Findings showed that students' moral judgement, problem-solving skills,…

This article summarizes Habermas' critical theory of education, examines relevant features of the development of children's capacity to enter into rational argumentation, and examines the significance of this development for a critical theory of schooling. (IAH)

Four experiments were conducted to explore issues in the development and modification of both moral choices and judgments of achievement using concepts and data from a social judgment perspective. In the first experiment, college students functioning at different reasoning levels indicated on a 20-point scale their strength of belief that an…

Analysis of cognitive, psychoanalytical, and moral development theories of J. Piaget, O. Rank, E. Erikson, L. Kohlberg, D. Elkind, and C. Gilligan revealed teaching strategies for gifted adolescents which involve encouraging creativity and problem-solving skills; supporting student interests; developing students' positive self-esteem; exposing…

Research and theories by psychologists Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, and Robert Selman on problem solving, decision making, moral development, and critical-thinking skills are reviewed. These theories and research are combined with the author's theories to develop an original decision-making model, namely, the socio-scientific model. The model…

"Preparing for Tomorrow's World" (PTW) is an interdisciplinary, future-oriented program incorporating information from the sciences/social sciences and addressing societal concerns which interface science/technology/society. The program promotes responsible citizenry with increased abilities in critical thinking, problem-solving,…