Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Social Cognition and
Moral Development
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Chapter 13: Social Cognition and Moral
Development
• Social cognition: ability to understand
•
psychological differences in others
– Adopt other’s perspectives
Theory of Mind: False Belief Task
– Where will Sally look for marble when she
returns? (See next slide)
– Used to predict and explain human
behavior before 4 yrs of age
• “he wanted to. . .” “he intended to. .”
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Figure 13.1
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Developing a Theory of Mind
• Attentive parents
• Joint attention
• Pretend play
• Imitation
• Social experiences
• Talking about mental states
• Sensitivity to feelings of others
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Nature and Nurture
• Nature: Theory of mind proved adaptive
•
– Functioning in a social group
• Gain resources and survive
• Bargaining, conflict resolution,
cooperation
Nurture: Acquiring language and interaction
– Having siblings, sensitive parents
– Using mental states to explain behavior
• “How do you think she felt?”
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Person Perception
• Psychological traits observed
– Used to explain behavior
– By about age 7 or 8
• Understanding personality
– Through adolescence
– Used to evaluate others
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Role-Taking Skills
• The ability to adopt another’s perspective
– Moving away from egocentrism
– Essential in thinking about moral issues
• Beginning of empathy – about age 2
• 3-6 yr olds – egocentric
• 12+ - multiple perspectives
• Socially isolated older adults decline related
to processing speed
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Perspectives on Moral Development
• Three components of morality
– 1) Cognitive: Distinguish right from wrong
– 2) Behavioral: Act accordingly (Prosocial)
– 3) Affective: Feel pride and guilt or shame
• Empathy: a vicarious experience
• Most are motivated to avoid negative
emotions
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Psychoanalytic Theory
• Superego: conscience
– Oedipus Complex
– Internalization of parental morals
• Emotion important in morality
• Responsive parenting important
• Gender differences unsupported
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Cognitive-Developmental Theory
• Piaget’s views
– Premoral Period: not moral beings
– Heteronomous Morality: ages 6-10
• Believe in rules from parents
• Consequences/amount of damage
– Autonomous: at ages10-11
• Rules are agreements – not absolutes
• Intention more important than
consequences
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Kohlberg: Reasoning about Moral Dilemmas
• Preconventional: egocentric
•
•
– Punishment and obedience
– Instrumental hedonism
Conventional: consideration of others
– Good boy/girl morality
– Authority/social order maintaining
Postconventional: consideration of all
– Morality of contract
– Individual principles of conscience
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Social Learning Theory
• Moral Behavior (Bandura)
• Cognitive self-regulation
– Anticipation, apply consequences to self
– Moral disengagement
• No self condemnation for immoral acts
• Situational context important
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Early Moral Training
• Children internalize moral standards
• By 18-24 mo. learn through experiences to:
•
•
– 1) Associate negative emotions with
violating rules
• Positive relationship w/parent important
– 2) Exert self-control when tempted
Prosocial behavior by age 2 (and earlier)
Punishment must always be accompanied by
an explanation
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Intentions and Rules: Research
• Piaget: consequences vs. intentions
– Nelson: 3 yr. olds can judge intention
– Theory of mind: “I didn’t mean it!”
• Piaget: questioning rules
– Turiel: moral rules by age 2 1/2
– Adult rules often questioned
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Raising Moral Children
• Social Learning Theory
– R+ moral behavior
– Punish immoral behavior
– Model moral behavior
• Hoffman: Three Approaches to Discipline
– Love withdrawal: negative effects
– Power assertion: moral immaturity
– Induction: related to moral maturity
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Temperament and Moral Development
• Fearful, inhibited children
– Become more fearful when reprimanded
– Use gentle discipline
• Fearless, uninhibited children
– Relationship with parent important
• “Goodness of fit”
• What works for one child may not for another
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
The Adolescent
• Changes in moral reasoning
– Shift to conventional reasoning
– Identity includes moral and values
• Two kinds of antisocial youth
– 1) Temporary in adolescence
– 2) Chronic/seriously aggressive
• Less empathy for distress of others
• Little remorse for criminal behavior
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Dodge’s Social Information-Processing Model
• Individual’s reaction to frustration, anger
– Not simply social cues
– Deficient information processing
– For most, accuracy improves with age
– Aggressive kids show a bias toward
attributing hostile intent/motive
– Also choose aggressive response
– Rejection, abuse in upbringing
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Patterson’s Coercive Family Environments
• Ineffective parenting in childhood
• Family members in power struggle
– Try to control each other coercively
– Threatening, hitting, even abuse
• Unpleasant aggressive child
– Performs poorly in school
– Disliked by other children
• Chooses aggressive peer group
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Nature-Nurture
• Inherit predisposition for aggression
• Behavior evokes coercive parenting
• Parenting strengthens aggression
• Less opportunity to learn emotional control
• Exposure to violence in society
• Lower SES: violence to solve problems
• Both bullies and victims of bullies more likely
to behave violently
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
The Adult
• Postconventional reasoning is possible
• Stable through about age 75
• Important moral lessons learned in life
• Spirituality: search for meaning in life
– Evident among reflective adults
• Religion: Little change even in old age
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Advanced Moral Reasoning
• Necessary cognitive skills
– Perspective-taking
– Formal operations
• Social learning experiences
– Interactions with parents
– Discussions with peers
– Higher education
– Democracy
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 13
Kohlberg in Perspective
• Sequence supported
• Devalued parental influence not supported
• Emphasis on peer contributions supported
• Cultural bias
• Liberal bias
• Gender bias not supported