NCJ Number
61511
Journal
Journal of Psychology Volume: 100, Dated: (SUMMER 1978) Pages: 3-7
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
IN THIS STUDY OF THE MORAL REASONING OF 30 MALE INMATES AT CLINTON CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, DANNEMORA, N.Y., NO OVERALL DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND BETWEEN THESE PRISONERS AND NONPRISONER SAMPLES.
Abstract
THE DEFINING ISSUES TEST (DIT), BASED ON L. KOHLBERG'S STAGES OF MORAL JUDGMENT, WAS ADMINISTERED TO THE 30 PRISONERS AND TO NONPRISONER SAMPLES. THE TEST CONSISTS OF MORAL DILEMMAS; TEST TAKERS SELECT FROM LISTS OF ISSUES THOSE IMPORTANT IN RESOLVING EACH DILEMMA. EACH ISSUE REPRESENTS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STAGES: MEETING ONE'S OWN NEEDS OR INTERESTS; 'BEING GOOD' AND MEETING OTHERS' EXPECTATIONS; SUPPORTING AN ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY; UPHOLDING RELATIVE RULES, DEMOCRACY, AND THE SOCIAL CONTRACT; HUMANISM WITH OBLIGATIONS STEMMING FROM IDEALS; SELF-CHOSEN, UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES OF IDEAL SOCIAL COOPERATION AND JUDGMENT; AND THE REJECTION OF CONVENTIONAL MORALITY OF LATE ADOLESCENCE. PRISONERS WERE ALL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF 30 YEARS, ENROLLED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSES. THEY WERE GIVEN THE DIT AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. STAGE SCORES WERE EVALUATED FOR EACH, INDICATING HOW FREQUENTLY THE VARIOUS ISSUES WERE CHOSEN; A TABLE GIVES STAGE SCORE MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR THE PRISONERS DIFFERENT STAGES. A PROCEDURE IS OUTLINED FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THE PRISONERS SCORED HIGH IN ANY STAGE. THE SCORES OF THE CLINTON INMATES WERE SIMILAR TO SCORES FROM OTHER PRISON SAMPLES, CHURCH MEMBER SAMPLES, AND GROUPS OF WOMEN. HOWEVER, THE CRIMINAL ACTS OF THE PRISON INMATES WERE NOT NECESSARILY INCONSISTENT WITH THEIR CONVENTIONAL MORAL JUDGMENT ORIENTATION, SINCE MORAL JUDGMENT IS A NECESSARY BUT INSUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR MATURE MORAL BEHAVIOR. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PAP)