Two studies, involving elementary school children, investigated children's representation of adults' use of the moral intentionality principle, with particular emphasis on the distinction between causal attributions of events-to-the-situation vs. events-to-the-person. (JS)

The perceptions of divorce in 41 gifted and regular students (grades 5-8) were compared through interviews, writing samples, and the Defining Issues test. Gifted students gave longer stories, more readily took the perspective of adults, showed a stronger desire to understand reasons for divorce, and displayed more advanced moral reasoning.…

Reports a study of a connectedness' versus separateness' orientation in adolescents' reasoning about friendship, loyalty, and understanding of political and social order. Conflict resolution for students having a connectedness orientation focused on negotiation; in separateness orientation, the focus was on codes of conduct. Adolescent males…

Mainstream conservative and liberal views are inadequate for a discourse about moral education. More appropriate methods for linking schooling and ethics are the following: (1) link ethics and morality to politics; (2) define those maxims necessary for moral adequacy; and (3) develop a radical view of authority that will transform pedagogical…

The use of the word "values" in educational writings is explored. The precise meaning is obscure because authors such as Dewey, Gardner, and Silberman use the word differently. Definitional problems are too numerous to allow for one definition, but the meaning can be made clearer by conceptualizing general categories of values. (VM)

To solve the software piracy problem in education, teachers and professionals in positions of responsibility relative to computing must refuse to "go along with" the practice of unauthorized piracy. Software producers must work out agreements that will permit educational institutions to have quality software at reasonable prices. (CB)

Provides a conceptual analysis of the motivation of virtuous behavior. Suggests educational practices which will aid in the development of kind, sincere, just, reliable, and helpful people. (JDH)

This statement, prepared by the Academy of Humanism and endorsed by 16 Humanist Laureates, decries the assault on secular humanism in the schools by conservative religionists and biblical fundamentalists. (MT)

The similarity between rules used by mothers and those used by sons was extensive. Results suggest that research should emphasize the process by which children come to employ multidimensional rules and the role of parental models in this process. Current research in moral judgments largely ignores the rule-governed nature of children's judgments.…

Discusses the 1983 "A Nation at Risk" report of the National Commission on Excellence in Education in terms of the history of schooling in the U.S. from the late 1890s to the present. Questions the materialistic emphasis of the commission's definitions of the purposes of education and of the "national interest." (CB)

In an earlier article in this journal (v9 1980), Rich argued that the emotions should have a more central place in moral education. David W. Gosling (Journal of Moral Education; v13 1984) claimed that these arguments cannot be sustained. Rich responds to Gosling's critique. (Author/RM)

Describes the process and results of two groups of undergraduates' attempt to formulate a new Decalogue. By comparison with the original, they preferred general positive formulations to specific, negative ones. Analysis of the results shows a lack of clearly religious (as opposed to moral) content and the absence of anything to do with sexual…

Explores the relationship between dispositions (i.e., continuities of inclinations and habits), episodic behavior, emotions, and desires; and the development of moral autonomy. Argues that autonomy requires a settled disposition toward the good. Contrasts theories of autonomy based on wants/desires and on ideals. (AYC)

INDSCAL analysis, based on bipolar ratings of physically agressive incidents by 217 subjects, yielded a solution in three dimensions: Provocation by Target, Intimates vs. Strangers and Harmful Outcome. One bipolar scale, the Right-Wrong Scale, was used as a direct measure of subjects' moral evaluation of each incident. (Author/LMO)

Presents results of a study which compared the moral evaluations of a sample of current undergraduates with evaluations given by college students in 1929, 1939, 1949, and 1958. The intensity of disapproval for most of the behaviors examined showed little change from 1929 to the present; disapproval for some behaviors peaked in 1958. (KH)