The influence of family background and friends on the moral judgement of 7-14 year old children

Abstract

The study on moral development is generally associated with the theories of Piaget and Kohlberg. In fact, these theories present the various stages of moral development which throw light on the way a person judges morally a particular situation. Many studies have shown that there may be different factors that influence the kind of moral judgement a person makes. This study refers to these factors and investigates particularly the possible influence of family background and friends on the moral judgement of children between the ages of 7 and 14 years. The study was conducted with boys and girls coming from different localities and schools in Malta. The children were presented with open-ended stories, each consisting of a dilemma situation. Therefore they had to give the ending piece of the story by answering to the questions following each story. Finally the reasons given in their answers were analysed and interpreted in the light of Piaget's and Kohlberg's theories of Moral Development.