Moral reasoning of young adults: Political-social behavior, family background, and personality correlates.

Abstract

Assigned college Ss and Peace Corps volunteers to a typology of moral reasoning according to their responses to the Kohlberg Moral Judgment Scale. Differences among 5 moral types in family-social background, self- and ideal descriptions, and descriptions of mother and father were analyzed. Ss of principled moral reasoning, as contrasted with the conventionally moral, were more active in political-social matters, particularly in protest; their views on current issues were more discrepant from their parents who themselves were politically liberal; their self- and ideal conceptualizations emphasized interpersonal reactivity and obligation, self-expressiveness, and a willingness to live in opposition. Perceptions of parental relationships suggest that little conflict or separation occurred in the families of the conventionally moral with more in those of the principled. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)