Principles or process? An examination of Kohlberg's cognitive theory of mora development and Haan's interactionist critique

Lawrence Kohlberg has recently, after 25 years work on moral development theory, updated and adjusted his theory. The contemporary presentation is outlined. At the same time, Norma Haan, after a similar period of less sustained, but equally matured consideration, has presented her fully articulated proposals for an interactional morality. Her theory is presented and then discussed in terms of the most common criticisms of Kohlberg's theory: its liberal, Western, male bias; its structural limitations; and its depreciation of moral action. Haan's suggestions in these areas are considered and then her overall contribution is evaluated. The verdict is that her effort makes a major contribution to breaking away from the cognitive-developmental paradigm, but is incomplete since Haan allows that paradigm to dictate the agenda. Haan has furthered our understanding of moral growth but has failed to provide a comprehensive theory

Development of Sociomoral Knowledge: A Cognitive-Structural Approach

This dissertation organizes in a conceptually and historically coherent form the available knowledge on socio-moral development. The purpose in doing so is to bring the information into the mainstream of social work education and practice. Emphasis is placed upon the significance and compatibility of sociomoral development to the field of social work from interventive, psychological, and philosophical perspectives. It is viewed as congenial to ego psychology and as fitting within the ecosystems orientation being advanced by contemporary social work theorists. Its potential as a heuristic model for generating new and effective methods of intervention across a diverse range of settings and populations is elaborated upon. The material synthesized in this dissertation is organized and presented within the cognitive-structural framework of Jean Piaget. At the heart of the synthesis, however, is the moral developmental psychology and philosophy of Lawrence Kohlberg. The six stages of moral development which Kohlberg's longitudinal research have led him to identify are elaborated upon at length. They are posited as universal stages in light of the extant cross-cultural validation. Although only a relatively small number of people pass through all six stages, it is necessary that passage through each stage be in an unvarying sequence. Each stage signifies a particular conception of justice that is more differentiated and integrated than the previous one and is, hence, said to be more adequate for resolving competing claims between individuals or between an individual and the general welfare. In order to successfully achieve any given stage, it is necessary to first arrive at a corresponding stage of social perspectivism, which is the ability to take another's or a societal point of view. Therefore, the relevant work on perspectivism of Mead, Feffer, Flavell, and Selman is examined. The relationship between cognition and moral development, as well as between moral judgment and behavior, is also explored. To provide depth and full comprehension of Kohlberg's work, the cognitive-structural developmental psychology of Piaget is formulated, followed by an extensive presentation of Piaget's early and only material on moral judgment, which serves as a point of departure for Kohlberg. An analysis is offered to differentiate areas of agreement and disagreement between Piaget's and Kohlberg's basic findings on moral development, the latter position representing a refinement and extension of the former. One section of the dissertation is devoted exclusively to marshaling criticisms against Kohlberg's methodological practices and the theory supporting his psychology and philosophy. A related section provides a comparative analysis of alternate approaches to moral development, focusing specifically upon psychoanalytic and social learning models. In effect, the presentation of opposing approaches, held to be viable by their proponents, also constitutes critical commentary. Methods of intervention are classified into psycho-dynamic, interpersonal, and organizational categories. Assignment of an interventive method is more a matter of emphasis, however, than mutually exclusive categories. It is urged that the Piaget-Kohlberg sociomoral model, based upon a cognitive-structural developmental psychology, be integrated into social work education. It would contribute to professional education a relevant, but neglected, body of knowledge and would also provide a means for facilitating the sociomoral advance of students. Most importantly, this organismic-environmental model of human development would provide new strategies of intervention that could be readily assimilated to the philosophy of contemporary social work practice

Ethical Decision-Making among Critical Care Unit Nurses

The health care business has created complex relationships between consumers and health care institutions. Rising health costs, rationing of health care and medical technology have put critical care unit (CCU) nurses in complex environments where they must face ethical conflict. CCU nurses find themselves ill equipped to make sound decisions concerning ethical dilemmas. Nurses must ensure the patient\u27s choices are respected and honored due to the duties inherent in the nurse-patient relationship. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of ethical decision making (EDM) as it is experienced by CCU nurses. Gaining an understanding of this process may assist nursing education programs, and provide a basis for ethical nursing practice in the critical care setting. The grounded theory method described by Glaser (1967) and Strauss (1978) guided data collection and analysis. The sample was comprised of 10 full-time critical care nurses. Data were collected over the course of two academic semesters using methods common to field research. The constant comparative method of data analysis was used. Results indicated that critical care nurses identified ethical conflict in four major areas: professional values versus personal values, respect for patient autonomy versus duty to do no harm, professional standards versus institutional policies, caring versus controlling. Constraining intervening conditions that inhibited resolution of ethical conflicts were: legal issues, professional relationships, paternalism, medical futility, and physician burnout. The intervening conditions that facilitated resolution of ethical conflicts were: cultural perspectives, open communication, and caring. Strategies for responding to the ethical conflicts evolved from the data: opening up, getting people to talk, and supporting the patient. Consequences of these strategies were described as: reaching understanding, and sensing harm. The inter-relationship of these categories resulted in a core category of facilitating resolution. Facilitating resolution, the basic social process, describes the linking of action/interactional sequences as they evolved over time. The major implications of this study are that shared decision making in ethical conflict will result in positive outcomes for patients and nurses involved in ethical dilemmas. Relationship enhancement methods increase perceptual abilities in EDM. Further nursing research should include inquiry into the use of power in interactions, therapeutic empathy, and permeability of nurses\u27 internal and external boundaries in the opening up phase of EDM

Cross-cultural Study of Moral Judgments: The Relationship Between American and Saudi Arabian University Students on the Defining Issues Test

Educational Psycholog