"Towards Rational Education" explores how education can become rational by serving character building, rational thinking and the common good. It uses evidence-based psychology, philosophy, sociology and political science to support transforming education and provides a brand-new framework for effective universal education. This book…

Character education specialists seem to know it when they see it, but what it means to call something a character education program remains unclear. One possible source for this uncertainty is the manner in which character education has been defined. By identifying certain features as necessary, existing definitions fail to encompass the universe…

Children's theatre in the UK is thriving. Debates about why children should watch theatre and what educational, emotional and expressive benefits it can provide inform cultural policy on education. Children aged 4-11 are increasingly taken to watch tailored theatre performances, yet there has been virtually no reflective research on what theatre…

Male perpetrated sexual aggression has long been recognized as a serious problem on college campuses. The purpose of this multiple regression correlation study was to assess the relationship between levels of moral development (measured by the Defining Issues Test) and the degree to which first-year college men (N = 161) ascribed to rape…

Studies the processes of development in Kohlberg's (1981) moral systems and in Haan's (1983) interactional formulation, by comparing the effects of two curricular experiences for university students. The experiences were: discussion of hypothetical dilemmas which was designed to promote cognitive disequilibrium, and playing moral games, which was…

Examines several issues arising from two differing approaches to morality--Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning development and Gilligan's theory of moral orientations. (PCB)

Reports study of 4- and 5-year-old children, finding (a) that young children's moral intuition about lying is quite advanced as compared to their definition of "to lie" and (b) that children's realist definition of "to lie" carries a strong negative moral connotation that overrides their usual subjectivist moral intuitions.…

Ancient Chinese ideas of moral education could be said to have five main dimensions-- philosophical foundations, content, principles, methods and evaluation--which are described in this paper. An analysis of the fundamental features of Confucian thinking on moral education shows that it took the idea that human beings have a good and kind nature…

Draws parallels between MacIntyre's account, in "After Virtue," of contemporary moral theory and practice and the conduct of young adults in conflicts developed over the breaking of an agreement to cooperate. Implications of the similarities and differences are discussed. (Author/RH)

This article questions whether the study of normative moral theory and its application to particular moral problems has a beneficial effect upon someone seeking to improve the quality of their moral thinking. A broad outline of the conception of moral thinking underlying moral theory and applied ethics is considered, particularly the logical…

A theory of the assignment of moral responsibility and punishment for harm was tested with 5- to 11-year-old children. Results indicated sophisticated use of moral concepts from 5 years. Developmental trends suggested increasing sensitivity to these concepts, greater tolerance for harm doing, and more emphasis on restitution than punishment.…

Bases for recent allegations of sex bias in Kohlberg's theory of moral development are discussed, and studies comparing the development of moral reasoning across the sexes are reviewed. A meta-analysis supported the conclusion that the overall pattern is one of nonsignificant sex differences in moral reasoning. (Author/RH)

Examines the development of the "New England pedagogy." Finds that it began in response to the materialism and ambition of Jacksonian America. It sought to cultivate the capacity for individual self-government and to counter the commercialization of the classroom. (DM)

A two-part study examined children's conceptions of the linkages between sociomoral events and emotional consequences for several event participants. Results of the first study indicated that children's conceptions were highly differentiated. The second study found children able to match affective information to events likely to cause emotional…

Replicates and extends to older adolescents previous findings of factorial independence between IQ and daydreaming in both gifted and average children and young adolescents. Also aims to relate to the development of moral reasoning ability research findings of a decline in guilt and fear-of-failure daydreams among children, adolescents, and…