The application of Information Integration Theory (Anderson, 1981), a general model of social judgment, overcomes shortcomings in the evaluation of moral development by offering a clear distinction between moral values and reasoning. To test the applicability of Anderson's theory to moral development research, two experiments were conducted using…

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…

This presentation: (1) outlines three educational approaches to moral development; (2) explains Piaget's stages of moral judgment; (3) reviews Piaget's ideas about the development of children's concepts of justice; and (4) discusses comments by contemporary educators concerning moral education and its implications. Outlined in Part I are character…

A total of 72 children from the second, fifth, and eighth grades participated in an investigation of relations between children's moral reasoning about actions considered obligatory and discretionary. Assessments were made of children's evaluations and corresponding justifications of stimuli depicting two helping situations in each of which one…

The following papers were presented at this meeting: (1) "The Moral Import of the Concept of Education" (Robert D. Heslep) Response: J. Gordon Chamberlin; (2) "Religion and Public Education: Formulating a Rational Legacy" (William F. Losito) Response: James W. Garrison; (3) "Using Scientific Logic To Reconcile Theism and Secular Humanism as…

An analysis of the problem solving process reveals at least three options: (1) finding the cause, (2) solving the problem, and (3) anticipating potential problems. These methods may be illustrated by examining "Oedipus Tyrannus," a play in which a king attempts to deal with a problem that appears to be beyond his ability to solve, and…

An investigation of children's tendencies to infer planfulness from the behavior of other actors revealed systematic differences in the responses of kindergarten and second-grade children to questions about the motives, goals, and knowledge of story characters. Participating in the study were 13 boys and 13 girls attending public school (15…

This study investigated forms of adult social cognition in the domains of justice judgment and ethical evaluation and their relationship to IQ scores and personal and vocational interests. Subjects were 150 adult members of the MENSA organization: 69 females and 81 males ranging in age from 18 to 83 years. Each subject completed a battery of…

This study explored the relationship between children's sense of justice for a criminal offender and their cognitive level. Subjects were 60 children, 10 boys and 10 girls at each of the following developmental or cognitive levels: preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. Each child was individually pretested for cognitive…

A coding system, derived from Dabrowski's levels of gifted individuals' emotional development, is based on categories that reflect feelings toward values, self, and others. Testing of the system's reliability indicated that it provides educators, parents, and counselors with a greater understanding of the developmental issues which confront gifted…

Reviews research and theory on the earliest development of moral behavior among infants and very young children. Lists a range of behaviors which are said to demonstrate the development of moral behavior. Includes illustrative anecdotes and a three-page bibliography. (JDH)

Studied perceptual processes in rating the good-lookingness of male compared to female faces, finding that more refined distinctions and discriminations, more extreme positive and negative ratings, and more concensus occur for female than for male faces. Facial expression (e.g., smiling) affected the rating of female more than of male faces.…

Practical and theoretical problems associated with incorporating values clarification as an element of health education are explored. Guidelines for teaching values clarification are offered. (DF)

Aesthetics in school facilities is related to student learning. Directly, the student experiences the order that is there; indirectly, the aesthetic features of a school building stand for the image of love for children and care for their education. Studies have found enhancement of student achievement in quality school buildings. (MLF)

This critique of Nisan's (1987) study of morality and convention addresses methodological considerations for cross-cultural research on children's moral and conventional concepts. (PCB)