The importance of education in developing morally sensitive individuals who use principled moral reasoning when facing dilemmas has been widely acknowledged. In the context of the criticism levelled at the Irish higher education system for failing to fulfil the role of intellectual leader and moral critic within the public domain, this paper…

Many higher education studies have examined linear relationships between student experiences and outcomes, but this assumption may be questionable. In two notable examples previous research that assumed a linear relationship reached different substantive conclusions and implications than did research that explored non-linear associations among the…

This study was designed to help determine whether there are gender differences in the psychological and moral development of traditional-age college students. Two hundred thirty-three first-year and graduating students were given the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Inventory (SDTLI) and the Defining Issues Test (DIT) to determine whether…

Six papers, originally presented in different form at the 1977 Convention of the Society for Research in Child Development, highlight approximately 100 studies that have used the Defining Issues Test (DIT) of moral judgment. The DIT's standardized format and objective scoring makes comparisons possible among studies, and this body of research…

Research on moral development from a cognitive-developmental perspective has been undertaken predominantly with Western subjects and most often with males. To investigate variables associated with moral reasoning among Palestinian Arabs, 259 male and female university students between the ages of 18 and 26 completed Rest's Defining Issues Test…

Empirically weighted scores for Rest's Defining Issues Test were found to be more reliable than the simple sum of scores theoretically weighted sum, or Rest's p scores. They also had slightly higher correlations with Kohlberg's interview scores. Empirically weighted scores also showed more significant change in two longitudinal studies. (CTM)

This final project report describes a 3-year project designed to integrate ethics into all disciplines at Utah Valley State College to introduce students to ethical complications they may face in their careers and vocations. Fifty faculty members participated in the project, the major components of which involved a 2-week summer seminar in ethics;…

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…

This final report describes the development of personal, social, and moral values, as well as the development of moral judgments of West Point cadets. The values of cadets at entrance and throughout their four years at the United States Military Academy were assessed. The basic research evaluated how cadets become socialized into the military…

Reviews studies examining effects of professional education on ethical development. Argues that most studies limit assessment to measuring moral judgment. Validates assessment methods for sensitivity, reasoning, role concept, and ethical implementation that could be adapted to provide individuals with a more complete picture of abilities needed…

Reports on a study of the influence of age and formal education on the development of moral reasoning among 215 Spanish citizens ranging in age from 12 to 48. Finds that moral development is highly related to both variables, although more so with formal education than with age. Includes five tables of illustrative data. (CFR)

Presents a study in which students from Kuwait were given Rest's Defining Issues Test (DIT) to measure the development of moral judgment skills. Explains that results were compared with scales measuring student perception of parental behavior. Concludes that the DIT may not be a valid test for development of moral judgment in an Arab culture. (DK)