Publication details

Relationship representation in the process of real-life moral judgment

Authors

DVOŘÁKOVÁ Jana

Year of publication 2006
Type Article in Proceedings
Conference Sborník prací filozofické fakulty brněnské univerzity
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Social Studies

Citation
Field Psychology
Keywords moral judgment; care-based reasoning; justice-based reasoning; real-life moral situation
Description In this article we have focused on the topic how relationships are represented in the process of moral judgment. We have argued that both Kohlberg (1973, 1984) and Gilligan (1982) pointed out different types of relationship representation in moral reasoning. In so-called care-based reasoning, principles are subordinated to relationships; in so-called justice-based reasoning, relationships are subordinated to universal principles. The research sample consisted of 261 adolescents (mean average = 17.3, 46% girls and 54% boy). A dating-dilemma situation with ten different items was offered to participants in a questionnaire. Every item indicated a different solution (to date or not to date), different levels of reasoning (preconventional, conventional, or postconventional) and a different relationship representation (justice-based or care-based). We found the elimination of care-based reasoning and justice-based reasoning on both the conventional and postconventional level, in both girls and boys. This means that persons differ in preference of these types of reasoning, yet regardless of gender.
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