Running head:
Juan Chan
EDUC 500-B23
500
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CCOMPARE AND
ONTRAST MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Topic: Moral Development
CCOMPARE AND
ONTRAST MORAL DEVELOPMENT 500
Moral development is the process through which individuals develop attitudes and
behaviors towards others. The lack of moral development can lead to a variety of negative
consequences including socially unacceptable behavior, academic issues, inability to make
friends, alcohol and drug problems, and criminality (Ryan, 2011). Throughout history, theorists
such as Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel, and Albert Bandura have working hard to
study about moral development. However, none of their theories are perfect. Bible, as the only
true Words from God, is the best tool for teachers to help students instill the sense of right and
wrong.
Theorist who has been the most influential as far as moral judgment is concerned is the
Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. His theory of moral development is categorized by transition
from heteronomous to autonomous moral thinking throughout three moral stages: pre moral,
moral realism, and moral relativism (Ryan, 2011). Heteronomous morality is the first category
where young children judge the morality of behavior on the basis of its consequence while
autonomous morality is the second category where children tend to base moral judgement on
the intentions of the actor rather than on the consequences of the actions (Slavin & Schunk,
2017, pp53-54). Pre moral, moral realism, and moral relativism in order are the stages that
children don’t think about what makes something right or wrong, understand right and wrong
through rules imposed by authority figures, and children begin to think about moral issues for
themselves through peers (Ryan, 2011).
Kohlberg was not satisfied with Piaget’s two categories and he proposed the theory of
moral reasoning through three levels with two stages in each level to reflect children’s
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Topic: Moral Development
COMPARE AND CONTRAST MORAL DEVELOPMENT 500
responses to moral dilemmas. This is the developmental change from externally controlled
behavior to internally controlled behavior (Ryan, 2011). The first level is the preconventional
level with stage 1 and 2 because children in this level obey rules set down by others while
maximizing self-interest. The second level is the conventional level with stage 3 and 4 that
individuals adopts rules and seeks the approval of others. The third level is the postconventional
level with stage 5 and 6 that people define their own values in terms of abstract ethical
principles they have chosen to follow (Slavin & Schunk, 2017, pp54-55).
Elliot Turiel found inconsistencies in Kohlberg’s theory, so he came up the framework of
moral domain theory with three separate components, which are children’s moral
development, their adherence to social conventions and their views of themselves and others.
He believed a moral domain, a social domain and psychological domain evolve in a parallel way
all occurring at once. Actions in the moral domain have an adhering effects on other people so
morality is connected with harm, welfare and fairness. Actions in the social domain have no
consequences that relate to the wellbeing of others, but rather deal with established social
norms. The psychological or personal domain deals with the child’s understanding of who they
are as individuals and their thoughts about people in situations (Ryan, 2011).
In the bible, there are also many verses regarding moral development. For example, in
the Old Testament, people know it’s bad to have adultery because the law said “ the man who
commits adultery with another man’s wife, he who commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife,
the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10, NKJV). In the
New Testament, people learnt adultery is not unforgivable when Jesus caught a woman in
adultery and told her to repent instead of stoning her to death (John 8:1-11, NKJV). This reflects
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COMPARE AND CONTRAST MORAL DEVELOPMENT 500
what was mentioned in Piaget’s theory regards judgement on the consequences of the actions
by rules or on the intentions of the actor. Another example from Proverb says “He who walks
with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed”(Proverbs 13:20,
NKJV). It explains what Bandura mentioned that most human behavior is learned through
modeling.
Although there are so many different theories about moral development, none of them
are as perfect as bible. As the only true Words from God, bible not only includes what other
theorists have mentioned but also goes beyond. It’s essential to instill a sense of right and
wrong in children from a biblical perspective. The following are the reasons that come up by D.
Kathy Mott (Mott, 2017). First, it is because all human have sinned and fall short of the glory of
God (Romans 3:23, NKJV). In the beginning, after God created man in the image and likeness of
Himself (Gen. 1:26-27, NKJV), He told Adam and Eve to not eat the fruit from the tree of
knowledge of good and evil or they will die (Gen. 2:16-17, NKJV). They obeyed the rules sat
down by God for a while until the serpent deceived them. They ate the pleasant fruits because
they wanted to be like God to know good and evil (Gen.3:1-7, NKJV). This disobedience brought
sin upon humankind and was passed down through generation to generation until today. We
are all sinners that need redemption because we are offspring of Adam and Eve and nothing
good dwells in our flesh (Romans 7:18, NKJV). Second, it is because bible include the moral
outlines God had set for everyone to get along with Him and each other (Exodus 20, NKJV). The
Ten Commandments that were written by God and then given to Moses for the Israelites are still
used for today’s laws. For example, “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You
shall not steal” (Exodus 20:13-15, NKJV). Third, it is because Jesus Christ taught us how to
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rebuild the relationship with God and how to follow the commandments God had given us
through bible. He shows us the selfless love when He obeyed the Father to die on the cross for
our sin so that we can be forgiven even though He is sinless as Son of God (John 3:16, NJKV). He
taught us how to forgive and love others when He healed the servant of the high priest who
came along to arrest Him (Luke 22:50-51, NKJV). Jesus has set a living testimony for us and we
should imitate Him and be more like Him to please our Father. Last but not least, it is because
we are told to instruct children through bible. In Proverb 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way
he should go, and when he is old he will not depart”. Like what Bandura had mentioned that
children learnt by observing and imitating others (Ryan, 2011). If we instilled the sense of good
and evil in children at young age through the principles of bible, then these principles will stay
with them even when they grow up. For instance, by the influence of biblical principles, one day
we can nurture kindness, patience, self-control, humanity, and love in our own lives and in the
lives of our students (Brumelen 2009, p31). It is our responsibility to help raise up a Godly
generation for His return.
CCOMPARE AND
ONTRAST MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Ryan, K. O. (Producer). (2011). A Child's Mind: How Kids Learn Right & Wrong [Video file].
Learning Seed. Retrieved September 9, 2017, from Education in Video: Volume I.
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Brumelen, H. V. (2009). Walking with God in the Classroom, Christian Approaches to Teaching
and Learning. Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Publications
Mott, K. (2017). Character Education: History and Integration [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved
from Liberty University Online EDUC 500
Blackboard: https://learn.liberty.edu
References
