Conceptual and empirical evidence generally tends to support the assumption that self-actualization is related to moral maturity, in particular to transitional or post-conventional moral reasoning. Because the evidence is largely correlational, the precise nature of the relationship has yet to be clearly determined. (RM)

Discusses the development of moral sensitivity in gifted children and its impact on identity formation and development of the self. Also addresses how the phenomenon of asynchrony manifests in moral development of gifted children and the models they develop to give form to their moral concerns. (Author/CR)

Two developmental stage theories concerned with moral development (Kohlberg) and ego development (Loevinger) were compared. Correlational relationships between the stages of each theory were measured, and a contingency table that visually portrayed the relationships between the stages was included. The study was based on two hypotheses: (1) There…

Factors which aid an individual's progression from one stage of moral reasoning to another remain a mystery. Theorists suggest that intraception, defined as a predominance of feeling, fantasy, and aspirations (connoting a humanistic outlook and an ability to develop role-taking skills) as opposed to a down-to-earth, skeptical attitude, may be an…

Instead of confirming John Dewey's ideas, Lawrence Kohlberg's writings on moral-cognitive development conflict with some of Dewey's principal concepts about moral development. Dewey's views of psychological growth, or development, and attainment of the good are contrasted with Kohlberg's findings. (PP)

The process by which human beings, as they grow toward maturity, develop values is not an automatic one. The process can be fostered by a number of teaching strategies. The strategies include the techniques of self-discovery, the provision of learning environments that encourage growth, and the practice of specific skills. This volume provides a…

The introductory chapter clarifies key terms and lays the background for different theories of moral development. Chapter 2 surveys competing models from various schools of thought on the initial origins of morality in childhood. The works discussed include those of Freud, Jung and Piaget. Chapter 3 includes: Erik H. Erikson's sociocultural…

Lawrence Kohlberg's empirical research does not, in itself, justify the claim that his higher stages of moral development are more adequately moral than lower stages; consequently, using Kohlbergian interventions to promote student development through these stages is unjustified. Empirical research, while necessary for planning and executing…

Reviews current theories of humor development, discusses the interaction of humor with other developmental areas (including cognitive development, personality development, creativity, and moral development), and suggests ways in which research can be applied in the early childhood classroom. (Author/DST)

Offers a trenchant critique of Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg, both of whom claimed to identify stages in moral development that are "universal, culturally invariant, and nonregressive." Explains some inadequacies in these theories, which have become so influential in education, and offers suggestions for further investigation. (MJP)

Discusses Montessori theories for development of social, moral, cognitive, and emotional dimensions of the human personality during the second plane of development--age six to puberty--as these theories relate to the theory of optimal experience. (JPB)

This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association as part of a symposium, "A social learning alternative to structural theories for explaining developmental changes in childrens behavior." This presentation examines the moral development of a child in terms of a social learning approach, and discusses…

This guidebook rejects a simplistic view of children's development of self-esteem in favor of a perspective that locates the concept in the larger contexts of children's social, cognitive, moral, and personality development. Part I concerns ways in which young children develop a sense of value. A general introduction to the concept of self-esteem…

Asserts that Lawrence Kohlberg's purely "formalistic" conceptualizations of moral judgment and associated measures may misrepresent the true nature of moral thought. Identifies logical inconsistencies in Kohlberg's reliance on the "form" of moral judgment and argues for a reconceptualization in terms of content. Discusses the…