A social cognitive developmental model is presented integrating a Piagetian developmental model and Flavell's processing model, to describe three aspects of development. The utility of the model was tested in two studies. The results demonstrate that it is possible to increase children's social cognitive abilities instructionally. (Author/CTM)

Former Berkeley Free Speech Movement activists' sociopolitical status, self constructions, perceptions of parents' child-rearing practices, and moral reasoning were compared with assessments made 11 years earlier. An argument was made for their continued political and psychosocial distinctiveness as a generational cohort although some important…

Some ingredients that help promote private school climate favorable to moral development include: moral education as a school goal; faculty discussions of school and personal values; a working honor principle; ethics included in curriculum; attention to classroom group relations; teachers used as role models; and student involvement in school…

This second essay in a three-part series addresses what is labeled "first education"--education for the formation of character. The author argues that the attempt of contemporary social science to achieve a value-free orientation in human life can be questioned and that teachers should articulate a philosophic defense of moral training. (JMD)

This field report from a Catholic liberal arts college for women suggests that, in any environment, a holistic approach to moral development is possible by challenging students to integrate their knowledge with their actions and to deal with inherent values issues both in and out of the curriculum. (Author)

Investigates transfer of direct and indirect forms of social influence on children's judgments of criminal cases. One hundred forty-two children in grades 4, 5, 7, and 8 were asked to impose sentence twice on criminal cases, the second time after hearing that the judge had imposed a harsh sentence. (SS)

Marxist-Leninist ethics were related to Communist morality in practice by surveying Soviet students' values and perceptions of the influence of parents, schools, and mass media. The content of moral education, history, and social studies curricula, and the structure of youth organizations (Octobrists, Pioneers, and Komsomal) were examined.…

The Moral Dilemmas Test was administered to 1,057 Swedish boys and girls in four different grades (4, 5, 6 and 7) to examine the effects of social pressure on children. (MP)

The moral reasoning of teachers enrolled in education courses was examined through an administration of the Defining Issues Test. Teachers were found to be at a generally comparable level to most other adults, but below many college graduates. (JKS)

This article evaluates the position of the Ontario Ministry of Education on moral education, particularly as evidenced in the MacKay Committee report, "Religious Information and Moral Development." Finally, it suggests some reasons why formal moral education should not continue to be part of the public school curriculum. (Author/SJL)

The author presents the Important Considerations Survey (ICS), an economical means of estimating the moral reasoning power of students age 12 or over. (Author)

The author examines some of the problems facing educators today in the area of values education. (HMV)

Modern compulsory schooling ignores the spiritual component of human existence, to the detriment of individual and society. In American Protestant spirituality, everyone counts; a good life's requisites are spelled out: work as salvation, pain as path to self-knowledge, duty, compassion, acceptance of loss, preparation for death. But no teacher…

Explored children's conscience using narrative measures of responses to hypothetical moral dilemmas and objective measures. Found that children who experienced more power-assertive maternal discipline produced fewer themes of commitment to and concern about good behavior and were more poorly internalized on observed and mother-reported measures.…

Reviews ethical implications of administrative decisions. Presents several cases to illustrate the potential conflict between the political (doing things right) and the ethical (doing the right thing). Presents a model that helps the administrator identify the extent to which administrative dilemmas impinge on moral considerations. (KW)