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You should be ashamed of yourself

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Date Issued:
2008
Summary:
Research on Kohlberg's theory of moral development has examined moral development by examining individuals' justice operations. However, how the moral emotions are related to moral development has been neglected. In a sample of mostly undergraduates (N=53), moral development (measured using an index of higher-level moral reasoning and one of reasoning consistency from the Defining Issues Test) and the moral emotions of guilt, shame, empathy, and self-esteem were measured. Shame was positively related to higher moral reasoning (r=.26, p<.10); guilt was not (r=-.02, ns). Empathy was also positively correlated with higher moral reasoning (r=.19). Moral consistency was positively related to shame (r=.31, p<.05) and guilt (r=.32, p<.05). Existential theory was used to explain the differentiation between shame and guilt in their correlations with higher moral reasoning. The correlations between moral consistency and guilt and between moral consistency and shame are discussed with respect to the inhibitive nature of shame and guilt.
Title: You should be ashamed of yourself: a study of moral development and moral emotion.
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Name(s): Bright, Justin.
Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Thesis
Issuance: multipart monograph
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
electronic resource
Extent: vii, 45 leaves : ill.
Language(s): English
Summary: Research on Kohlberg's theory of moral development has examined moral development by examining individuals' justice operations. However, how the moral emotions are related to moral development has been neglected. In a sample of mostly undergraduates (N=53), moral development (measured using an index of higher-level moral reasoning and one of reasoning consistency from the Defining Issues Test) and the moral emotions of guilt, shame, empathy, and self-esteem were measured. Shame was positively related to higher moral reasoning (r=.26, p<.10); guilt was not (r=-.02, ns). Empathy was also positively correlated with higher moral reasoning (r=.19). Moral consistency was positively related to shame (r=.31, p<.05) and guilt (r=.32, p<.05). Existential theory was used to explain the differentiation between shame and guilt in their correlations with higher moral reasoning. The correlations between moral consistency and guilt and between moral consistency and shame are discussed with respect to the inhibitive nature of shame and guilt.
Identifier: 299785835 (oclc), 77659 (digitool), FADT77659 (IID), fau:1479 (fedora)
Note(s): by Justin Bright.
Thesis (B.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, Honors College, 2008.
Bibliography: leaves 37-41.
Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2008. Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subject(s): Moral development
Social ethics
Emotions -- Moral and ethical aspects
Emotions and cognition
Held by: FBoU FAUER
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77659
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Host Institution: FAU

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