Study of Social Cognitions

Other areas of psychological research are concerned with the topic of children’s
“social cognitions,” which subsumes the topic of morals and considers
other issues such as empathy, attribution, and motivations. One area that
has come to light is the issue of the effect of the emotions on cognitions and
their contribution to moral judgments. For example, it has been shown that
people in a good mood are more likely to help someone else than those in a
bad mood. Expanding on this premise, other research has demonstrated
that even the way people perceive an object or situation is closely linked to
their psychological or emotional states at the time. Even concrete perceptions
can be changed by a person’s state of being. One example is that people
who are poor actually judge the size of a quarter to be larger than do
people who are rich.

As cognitive theories begin to consider the interactive components that
emotions have in cognitions, new methods of study and new theoretical predictions
will change the way cognitive psychologists study such areas as problem
solving, decision making, reasoning, and memory. Each of these areas is
independently related to the study of moral development and should affect
the way psychologists think about how people acquire and think about morality
within society.
In addition, as society increases in sophistication and technology, new issues
will emerge that will strain old theories. Issues that are particular to new
generations will result in new ways of thinking about morality that were not
faced by past generations. The direction that moral development goes is ultimately
highly dependent on the problems of the current society.

Sources for Further Study
Duska, Ronald F., and Mariellen Whelan. Moral Development: A Guide to Piaget
and Kohlberg. New York: Paulist Press, 1975. Presents Jean Piaget’s theory
and its implications for Lawrence Kohlberg’s expansion into his own theory
of moral development. All of the moral stories used by Piaget and
Kohlberg in their research are replicated in this book. Also includes research
findings and ways in which to apply these theories to everyday situations
in teaching children. This book can be read easily by the high
school or college student.

Gilligan, Carol, Janie VictoriaWard, and Jill McLean Taylor, eds. Mapping the
Moral Domain. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1990. A collection
of essays presenting the contribution of women’s studies to Kohlbergian
theories of moral development.
Nucci, Larry P. Education in the Moral Domain. New York: Cambridge University
Press, 2001. Brings together theoretical and practical approaches to
creating a classroom environment that nurtures moral development in
children.
Reed, Donald R. C. Following Kohlberg: Liberalism and the Practice of Democratic
Community. South Bend, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Press, 1998. Offers
a comprehensive overview of Kohlberg’s research, from an empirical
and psychological perspective as well as a more abstract philosophy.
Rich, John Martin, and Joseph L. DeVitis. Theories of Moral Development. 2d
ed. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C Thomas, 1996. Presents a range of psychologists’
theories on moral development, including Sigmund Freud, Alfred
Adler, Carl Jung, and David Sears. In addition, it places moral development
within the framework of higher education and relates it to a lifespan
perspective. Certain sections of the book would be difficult for a
novice student to follow; however, in terms of a summary review of theoretical
positions, the book is a handy reference.
Donna Frick-Horbury
See also: Adolescence: Cognitive Skills; Cognitive Development: Jean Piaget;
Crowd Behavior; Development; Helping; Women’s Psychology: Carol
Gilligan.