MORAL AGENT
AND
MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
Ryan Javier cumbe
Instructor
MORALITY
 -principles concerning, the distinction
between right and wrong or good and
bad behavior
 se lf
a ware ness
u n d e rstan din g
FRUITS OF
KNOWING
YOURSELF
&
s e lf
 p eop le
are
th e
m ost
im portan t
o rga n iza tio na l
r e s o urce
 improv ing
p re d ictab ility
a n d s e lf -co nfide nce
 b u ild in g r e la tio nship s
 e ffectiv e
u tiliza tio n
h u m a n r e s o urces
 av o id ing
c o n flic ts
or
of
ma nag ing
 im prov ing th e qu a lity o f life
a n d w o r k e n vironm ent
 Metaphysical
(level
of
being), fundamental, radical,
substantial, the act of being.
What makes us
a
HUMAN BEING
 Operational (level of doing),
accidental
 Our being human & even
fundamental dignity lies in
the
level
of
being
(substantial), not in the
level
of
operation
(accidental).
 Operationally
(biologically,
socially,
morally,
intellectually,
emotionally)< the human
person has yet to grow
 Conception
is
when
human life begins.
 Metaphysically,
the embryo is
already a human
person, created
in the image and
likeness of God.
MAN IS RATIONAL
 It means that human being posses the faculty of
intellection (knowledge) and volition (will).
 by knowledge is meant the power of generalization, the conception of
abstract ideas, and the possession of intellectual truths.
 by will is meant that strong desire to acquire an object which after due
consideration of its consequences has been pronounces by reason to be
good.
o Capable
of
making
choice
o Ability
to
make
judgement
o Capacity
to
make
decisions
o Power
to
determine
himself freely in attaining
his destiny
o an ethical representative for a
public person
o an irrelevant label
discussing ethics
when
o responsible for his or
actions and behaviors
her
o not responsible for his or her
actions
By “moral agent” we understand a
creature able to act morally. To act
morally supposes a creature has the
ability to know that its actions have moral
consequences.
 e va lu ative
or ie ntat io n
th at
d isting u ish es go o d a n d ba d an d
p r e s c rib es g o o d
 s ense
of
obligat ion
t ow ards
s t a n d ar ds o f a s o c ia l c o lle c tive
MORAL
CHARACTER
 s en se of re sp o ns ibilit y f or actin g
out of concern for others
 c onc e rn f or t he right s ot he rs
 c o mmitmen t
to
h o n est y
in t e r pe rso n al r e la t io n sh ip s
in
 st ate of min d c a us es n eg ative
e motional rea ctions to immora l
acts
 ability of moral agents
to
make
moral
judgments based on
some notion of right
and wrong
MORAL AGENCY
 traditionally
moral
agency
is
assigned
only to those who can
be held responsible for
their actions
FORMS
Teleological
MORAL AGENCY
Deontological
Social morality
Noble character
DIMENSIONS
Rational Thoughts
MORAL AGENCY
Feeling/ Emotions
action
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
- focuses on the emergence, change, and
understanding of morality from infancy through
adulthood. Morality develops across a lifetime and is
influenced by an individual's experiences and their
behavior when faced with moral issues through
different
periods'
physical
and
cognitive
development.
o Moral
development
includes
characteristics
of
the
honesty,
truthfulness,
trustworthiness,
selfrespect,
respect
of
others,
righteousness,
self-control,
duty
consciousness , compassion in the
child
o According to Zanden (1978), moral
development refers to the process by
which children adopt principles that
lead them to evaluate given behaviours
as right and wrong and to govern their
own actions in terms of their principles.
o Baron (2001) defined moral
development as changes in the
capacity to reason about
rightness or wrong ness of
various actions that occurs with
age.
o Moral development is the process
through which children develop proper
attitudes and behaviours towards other
people in society, based on social and
cultural norms, rules and laws.
o Thus, we can say that-in moral
development a child learns the rules and
laws of the society which helps him to
differentiate between right and wrong
behaviour. Rules and laws learned in moral
development determines the behaviour of
the person and process of moral
development get strengthened with age.
o Baron (2001) defined moral
development as changes in the
capacity to reason about
rightness or wrong ness of
various actions that occurs with
age.
STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
5. Social contract and individual rights
6. Universal Principles
3. Good interpersonal relationships
4. Maintaining social order
1.
2.
Obedience and punishment
Individualism and exchange
FEATURES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
INFANCY
At the time of birth child is neither moral or
immoral.
Moral self is developed as a result of sanctions
and punishment provided by the parents.
In schools, teachers develop desirable conduct
through approval or disapproval of their
behaviors and by providing worth experiences.
FEATURES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
CHILDHOOD
Peer groups plays an important role in developing
moral behavior.
Moral self is strengthened by the reward and
punishment received by parents and teachers.
Children follow the social and cultural norms and
codes.
DIMENSIONS / COMPONENTS
OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Emotional
Dimension
Behavioural
Dimension
Cognitive
Dimension
is one of the important dimension of moral
development because it is the emotions or
feelings of a person which make him realize
the sorrow of others and to feel guilty if he
himself is the reason of sorrow of others.
second important of moral development
is behaviors and its consequences.
Consequences of behavior done by the
child motivates him to learn moral rules.
is another dimension of moral development. If
a child has social understanding then he can
take correct decision about right and wrong
behavior. Cognitive maturity and social
experiences helps in the development of moral
behavior.
THEORIES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Sigmund Freud believed that moral
development of a child on his super ego.
He regarded superego as a moral
commander which tell the individual about
moral
values,
principles
and
moral
standards.
THEORIES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Kohlberg’s Theory
According Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory, moral
development proceeds in sequential stages. This theory
states that internal or cognitive processes like thinking
and reasoning plays a major role in one’s moral
developments. The way children make moral judgment
depends on their up bringing and learning experiences.
Kohlberg in this theory states that there are 3 levels of
moral development and movement from one stage to
another depends on cognitive abilities rather that
acquisition of moral values from parents elders of peers.
THEORIES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Social Learning Theory
Albert Badura believed that just as a child learns
other behaviors similarly he learns moral behavior.
This theory states that moral behaviors . This theory
states that moral behavior is learnt by observation.
When a child sees someone doing a behavior and
getting a positive response as a result of the behavior
then he also learns that behavior. Similarly when a
child sees the model doing a moral behavior he also
learns to do that moral behavior. Thus, it means that
moral development depends on observation of moral
behavior and imitation of that moral behavior.
 Piaget’s view on moral development
According to Piaget (1932), there are 4
stages of moral development of a child
o
Anomy (0-5years)
o Hetronomy – Authority (5 – 8 years)
o Hetronomy – Reciprocity (9 – 13 years)
o Autonomy (13 – 18 years)
ANOMY
It is a stage without law. At this stage the
behavior of the child is neither moral or
immoral but no moral. Th behavior of the
child is not guided by moral standards but
it is regulated by pain and pleasure. The
child repeats the behavior which give him
pleasure and avoids those that give him
pain.
HETRONOMY-AUTHORITY
It is a stage in which moral development
is controlled by external authority. Moral
development in this stage is regulated by
rewards and punishment. It is also called
the stage of discipline of artificial
consequences imposed by adults
HETRONOMY-RECIPROCITY
It this moral behavior / development is
regulated by reciprocity which means that
whatever is offensive to us, we should not
do to others. In this stage conformity with
the group becomes imperative.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
PHYSICAL & MENTAL
HEALTH
Health of an individual affects his moral
behavior: health of an individual affects his
point-of-view and ideal of life. A child with
sound health learns desirable behavior
very fast.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
FAMILY ENVIRONMENT
Family environment is a significant factor
affecting moral development. Moral views of
the family members, parents, moral discipline
among family, lack of love and compensation
among the family members influence the
moral development of the child.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
SOCIAL INFLUENCE
It included society , friends and group
members.
Child’s
moral
behavior
is
influenced by the moral view point of the
groups, child’s view regarding what is right
or what is wrong to a great extent is
controlled by the views of his group
member.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
INTELLIGENCE
Moral thinking and reasoning depends on
intelligence. Higher the level of intellectual
development or intelligence of an individual,
higher will be moral development.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
RELIGION
Plays an important role in the moral
development.
All
the
religions
emphasize on development of moral
values. The more the child is
committed towards his religion the
greater will be his moral development.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
AGE
Moral development also depends on age of a
person. As the age increases moral conduct also
increases.
GENDER
Moral development also depends on gender.
Generally it is said that as compared to boys,
girls shows better moral conduct.
FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL DEVELOPMENT
MOTIVATION
Moral behavior also depends on
motivation level of the child. If a
person has high achievement need
but fear or failure then he commits
immoral behavior like cheating.
OTHER FACTORS INFLUENCING MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
Culture
Socio-economic status
Experiences
Rules an regulations of the community
Sanctions and punishment given by elders
Conscious training
Moral reasoning
intellectual development