Deck 12: Moral Development

Question 1

Although a variety of built-in bases for morality have been posited, __________ and __________ are of prime importance.

A) protection; charity
B) empathy; self-sacrifice
C) reproduction; competition
D) compassion; obedience

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Evolutionary theorists speculate that our unique capacity to act prosocially toward genetic strangers originated

A) when man began walking upright.
B) several million years ago.
C) about 500 years ago.
D) during the Reformation.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements supports the biological theory of morality?

A) Newborns cry when they hear another baby cry.
B) Researchers have recently discovered the "moral gene."
C) Infants are skilled at regulating emotion, which leads to internalization of moral rules.
D) Reciprocal exchanges are far more common, varied, and highly developed in primates than in humans.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

According to psychoanalytical theory, Denzel will adopt his society's standards of moral behavior through the process of

A) choice.
B) motivation.
C) biological necessity.
D) internalization.

Question 5

Two chimpanzees embrace and groom each other after a physical fight in an apparent effort to restore their long-term relationship. This behavior is consistent with __________ perspective of morality.

A) the biological
B) the psychoanalytic
C) the social learning
D) Kohlberg's

Question 6

Diane's mother threatens to punish her or gives her the silent treatment when Diane does something wrong. This approach

A) is more effective than induction, particularly when used with younger children.
B) makes Diane feel anxious and unable to think clearly enough to figure out what she should do.
C) promotes Diane's compliance and prosocial behavior.
D) helps Diane learn to internalize moral norms.

Question 7

Three-year-old Ally throws a block at her sister, who starts to cry. Her mother says, "Your sister is crying because you hurt her." Ally's mother is using __________ as a form of discipline.

A) induction
B) reverse psychology
C) punishment
D) construction

Question 8

Morality has its roots in which three major aspects of our psychological makeup?

A) biological, ethological, and conceptual components
B) social experiences, self-control, and inner standards
C) self-awareness, representational capacities, and social learning
D) emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components

Question 9

Although physical violence is condoned in 10-year-old Jalila's household, she agrees with society that fighting is unacceptable and subsequently acts according to her personal standards. Jalila is demonstrating evidence of

A) internalization.
B) induction.
C) construction.
D) realism.

Question 10

Which of the following situations challenges Freud's view of conscience development?

A) Although Mia has been told that violating codes of conduct is wrong, her conscience is too strong to experience guilt.
B) Mia's parents frequently use disciplinary techniques, such as threats, commands, and physical force, yet she violates rules often with little guilt.
C) Because her parents often use threats, commands, or physical force, Mia feels extreme guilt after violating rules or codes of conduct.
D) Although her parents withhold attention and love when she misbehaves, Mia compensates for this through attention from teachers and peers.

Question 11

The fact that pride, guilt, empathy, and sympathy require strong caregiving supports to develop indicates that

A) these emotions are present in all species.
B) morality is fully explained by its biological foundations.
C) morality cannot be fully explained by its biological foundations.
D) these are basic emotions.

Question 12

Induction points out the effects of

A) unacceptable behavior, but does not lead to internalization of moral norms.
B) harsh punishment on moral development.
C) the child's prosocial behavior on adults and peers.
D) the child's misbehavior on others and makes it clear that the child caused it.

Question 13

According to Freud, moral development is largely complete by age

A) 3 to 4.
B) 4 to 5.
C) 5 to 6.
D) 7 to 8.

Question 14

As a child, Rico suffered damage to the ventromedial area of his prefrontal cortex. As an adult, Rico will

A) have difficulty with language-dependent activities.
B) rarely react with empathy to others' distress.
C) be overwhelmed by others' distress.
D) be especially prosocial and empathetic toward others.

Question 15

Which of the following statements reflects Freud's view of guilt?

A) Guilt does not emerge until middle childhood.
B) Guilt is a hostile impulse redirected toward the self.
C) Guilt is controlled by the id.
D) Guilt is a hostile impulse directed toward others.

Question 16

Research on induction shows that it

A) encourages empathy and sympathetic concern.
B) encourages anger and hostility toward peers.
C) should not be used with children under the age of 10.
D) is less effective than corporal punishment.

Question 17

Researchers who favor the biological perspective of morality believe that __________ is/are involved in the development of prosocial behaviors.

A) synaptic pruning
B) innate reflexes
C) brain lateralization
D) prewired emotional reactions

Question 18

Jinelle is an anxious, fearful preschooler. What can her parents do to foster guilt reactions and conscience development?

A) Focus more on misbehavior than prosocial behavior.
B) Engage in power assertions.
C) Avoid using mild, patient tactics, as these will reinforce anxious behavior.
D) Use mild patient tactics, such as requests, suggestions, and explanations.

Question 19

Dr. Moussai observes that bees sacrifice their lives to protect the hive, and a dog cowers in the corner after wetting the carpet. Dr. Moussai concludes that many morally relevant behaviors have evolutionary roots, which coincides with __________ theory(ies) of human social behavior.

A) Piaget's
B) social learning
C) biological
D) Kohlberg's

Question 20

Parents of impulsive children can foster conscience development by

A) combining firm correction of misbehavior with induction.
B) using harsh discipline when it is necessary to change behavior.
C) using gentle discipline, reinforced by mild suggestions.
D) limiting positive reinforcement until the child's behavior improves.

Question 21

An alarming __________ percent of U.S. infants-who are not yet capable of complying with adult directives-get spanked or hit.

A) 25 to 35
B) 35 to 40
C) 35 to 50
D) 50 to 60

Question 22

Dr. Milo believes that moral behavior is acquired through reinforcement and modeling. Dr. Milo's view is consistent with

A) the biological perspective.
B) psychoanalytic theory.
C) the social learning perspective.
D) Piaget's theory of moral development.

Question 23

Longitudinal research shows that spanking is associated with a

A) high level of respect toward adults and other authority figures.
B) rise in behavior problems if parents are cold and rejecting.
C) decrease in behavior problems if parents deliver it when they are highly agitated.
D) decrease in antisocial behavior in girls but not boys.

Question 24

Children in Piaget's heteronomous morality stage

A) want to maintain the affection and approval of others by being a "good person."
B) view rules as unchangeable and requiring strict obedience.
C) base their moral understanding on reward, punishment, and the power of authority figures.
D) view the "right" action as what satisfies their needs or otherwise results in personal advantage.

Question 25

When inducing empathy-based guilt, parents must help children

A) deal with guilt feelings constructively by guiding them to make up for immoral behavior.
B) understand why harsh punishment is sometimes necessary to correct misbehavior.
C) understand why adults are always right and that their goal is to protect children.
D) understand that people sometimes behave inappropriately.

Question 26

Ethnographic evidence indicates that corporal punishment increases in societies with

A) a collectivist orientation.
B) an individualistic orientation.
C) autocratic political decision making.
D) low rates of poverty.

Question 27

Which of the following is a side effect of harsh punishment?

A) It models aggression.
B) It helps children distinguish between prosocial and antisocial behaviors.
C) It permanently stops children's misbehavior.
D) It encourages children to seek closeness with adults.

Question 28

Jelena had a temper tantrum, so she was sent to her room until she was ready to act appropriately. This technique is known as

A) time out.
B) withdrawal of privileges.
C) induction.
D) withdrawal of love.

Question 29

Children's earliest moral understanding can be described as

A) an inner propensity to adhere to socially agreed-upon principles.
B) an understanding of intentions.
C) a superficial orientation to physical power and external consequences.
D) extensive moral imperatives.

Question 30

According to social learning theorists, operant conditioning is not enough for young children to acquire moral responses because

A) prosocial behaviors do not increase with positive reinforcement.
B) parents rarely provide reinforcement following a prosocial act.
C) many prosocial acts occur so rarely at first that reinforcement cannot explain their rapid development.
D) negative reinforcement does not decrease the likelihood of antisocial behavior.

Question 31

Warmth and responsiveness, competence and power, and consistency between assertions and behavior are all

A) characteristics that affect children's willingness to imitate a model's behavior.
B) less likely to promote moral development than spankings and threats.
C) evident in primates, reinforcing the biological perspective of morality.
D) traits that develop around age 2 as precursors to moral development.

Question 32

A major criticism of theories that regard morality as entirely a matter of internalization of societal norms is that

A) the role of emotion is disregarded in the development of prosocial behavior.
B) they do not consider cultural influences on moral development.
C) they overemphasize biological contributions to morality.
D) prevailing standards sometimes may be at odds with important ethical principles and humanitarian goals.

Question 33

Dr. Kalpoe is a cognitive-developmental theorist. As such, Dr. Kalpoe probably believes that the major means by which children become moral is through

A) specific teaching by parents and caregivers.
B) modeling and reinforcement.
C) identification with parents.
D) construction.

Question 34

Models of effective behavior are especially influential

A) in the early years.
B) in middle childhood.
C) in adolescence.
D) if they combine harsh punishment with frequent time outs.

Question 35

Ursula has developed a firm conscience, displays empathy, behaves responsibly, plays fairly in games, and is exceptionally considerate of other's welfare. Ursula's mother probably used __________ as her primary form of discipline.

A) positive discipline
B) time out
C) corporal punishment
D) withdrawal of privileges

Question 36

Mr. and Mrs. Briggs, Caucasian-American parents, regularly use physical punishment with their son Max. Max will probably

A) develop respect for adults.
B) avoid delinquent peers.
C) show a decrease in aggressive behavior.
D) engage in aggressive and antisocial behavior.

Question 37

Viewing the child as a thinking moral being who wonders about right and wrong and searches for moral truth is the approach endorsed by

A) social learning theorists.
B) reinforcement theorists.
C) behaviorists.
D) cognitive-developmental theorists.

Question 38

More than one-__________ of physically punishing U.S. parents report having used a hard object, such as a brush or a belt.

A) fifth
B) fourth
C) third
D) half

Question 39

Empathy-based guilt reactions are associated with

A) anger, hostility, and future antisocial behavior.
B) stopping harmful actions and repairing damage caused by misdeeds.
C) fearful behavior, particularly toward adults.
D) prosocial behavior in girls and antisocial behavior in boys.

Question 40

Harshly treated children react with resentment and a chronic sense of being personally threatened, which prompts

A) timid, but more social, behavior.
B) a strong internalization of moral rules.
C) a focus on the self's distress rather than a sympathetic orientation to others' needs.
D) increased genetic risk for aggression.

Question 41

Satish is a young child whose moral understanding is characterized by the belief that rules are fixed external features of reality. Satish's moral understanding reflects

A) induction.
B) moral self-relevance.
C) realism.
D) compliance.

Question 42

Dr. Miller wants to assess the moral reasoning of young children with a short-answer questionnaire that allows for efficient gathering and scoring of information. Dr. Miller will most likely use the

A) Wechsler Inventory of Social-Conventional Reasoning.
B) Woodcock-Johnson Assessment of Moral Reasoning.
C) Moral Judgment Interview.
D) Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form.

Question 43

At Kohlberg's conventional level, moral understanding is based on

A) rewards, punishment, and the power of authority figures.
B) abstract principles and values that apply to all situations and societies.
C) actively maintaining the current social system to ensure positive human relationships and societal order.
D) the degree to which morality is central to self-concept.

Question 44

According to Piaget, two factors that limit children's moral understanding are __________ and __________.

A) a limited understanding of conservation; egocentrism
B) animistic thinking; a lack of concern for others
C) the power of adults to insist that children comply; cognitive immaturity
D) an underdeveloped ego; poor perspective-taking skills

Question 45

Eight-year-old Carlos and 9-year-old Theresa are arguing over a bag of candy. Which of the following statements most accurately reflects their probable response to intervention?

A) They will stop fighting if an adult threatens to spank them or put them in time out.
B) They will stop fighting in an adult's presence but will resume the argument once the adult leaves ?the room.
C) They will view a directive to stop fighting and share as right, regardless of who states it.
D) They will not listen to anyone because candy involves a primary motivator, and their desire for it is too strong to control their actions.

Question 46

Kohlberg emphasized that it is the __________, not the __________ that determines moral judgment maturity when presented with the Heinz dilemma.

A) way an individual reasons about the dilemma; content of the response
B) content of the response; way an individual reasons about the dilemma
C) final outcome; way in which that outcome was achieved
D) emotional reaction to the dilemma; justification of the response

Question 47

By what age do children clearly recognize the difference between truthfulness and lying?

A) 2 years
B) 4 years
C) 8 years
D) 10 years

Question 48

Both Piaget and Kohlberg used a(n) __________ procedure to study moral development.

A) cross-sectional
B) structured observation
C) clinical interviewing
D) ecological

Question 49

In Kohlberg's theory, at the __________ level, children accept the rules of authority figures and judge actions by their consquences.

A) principled
B) preconventional
C) conventional
D) postconventional

Question 50

Preschoolers more often than older children evaluate lies

A) as always wrong.
B) as sometimes necessary.
C) in a positive manner.
D) based on the situation.

Question 51

In response to the Heinz dilemma, Bill says, "You shouldn't steal the drug because you'll be caught and sent to jail if you do. If you do get away, the police would catch up with you any minute." Bill is most likely in the __________ stage.

A) punishment and obedience orientation
B) social-order-maintaining orientation
C) morality of interpersonal cooperation
D) instrumental purpose orientation

Question 52

Lamis likes to play "Go Fish." One day when her older brother suggests changing the rules, she adamantly insists that the rules cannot be changed. Lamis has not yet made the transition to

A) heteronomous morality.
B) a punishment and obedience orientation.
C) an instrumental purpose orientation.
D) morality of cooperation.

Question 53

To study moral development, Kohlberg

A) observed people in naturally occurring situations requiring moral reasoning.
B) used an ethnographic approach to assess moral reasoning.
C) studied moral reasoning in institutionalized children and adolescents.
D) presented people with hypothetical moral dilemmas.

Question 54

Children __________ certain types of truthfulness-for example, blunt statements, particularly when made in public contexts where they are especially likely to have negative social consequences.

A) cannot separate the harm from the intentions in
B) see only ill intentions in
C) are unable to recognize
D) evaluate negatively

Question 55

Piaget regarded peer disagreements as especially facilitating in the development of

A) morality of cooperation.
B) realism.
C) heteronomous morality.
D) inductive discipline.

Question 56

According to Piaget, older children in the morality of cooperation stage understand __________, which helps them realize that rules can be reinterpreted and revised.

A) ideal reciprocity
B) realism
C) a moral dilemma
D) induction

Question 57

Canadian children are more likely than Chinese children to favor lying

A) when the intention is modesty.
B) to support the individual at the expense of the group.
C) to support the group at the expense of the individual.
D) when the intention is prosocial.

Question 58

Follow-up research on Piaget's theory indicates that children

A) regard adults with unquestioning respect.
B) do not regard adults with unquestioning respect.
C) cannot discriminate between truthfulness and lying until the end of elementary school.
D) do not develop differential notions about the legitimacy of authority figures until the age of 10.

Question 59

If Tatum is in Kohlberg's stage of instrumental purpose orientation, which of the following statements would describe how she looks at moral dilemmas?

A) "Don't do that because you'll be in trouble if you do."
B) "Helping people is more important than following rules."
C) "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime."
D) "You do this for me, and I'll do that for you."

Question 60

According to Kohlberg, given a choice between obeying the law and preserving individual rights, the most advanced moral thinkers will

A) follow the law.
B) first advocate for reinterpretation of the law.
C) break the law to support individual rights.
D) break the law only with prior permission from an authority figure.

Question 61

Gilligan believes that feminine morality emphasizes a(n)

A) earlier shift from Stage 2 to Stage 3 reasoning than in Kohlberg's system.
B) an absence of justice and caring, unlike Kohlberg's system.
C) focus on impersonal rights.
D) ethic of care.

Question 62

In response to the Heinz dilemma, Dana says, "Respect for human life and personality is absolute; people have a duty to save one another from dying." Dana is most likely in the stage of __________ orientation.

A) social-contract
B) universal ethical principle
C) instrumental purpose
D) social-order-maintaining

Question 63

Which of the following statements is true regarding the influence of schooling on fostering mature moral reasoning?

A) Higher education introduces young people to social issues that extend beyond personal relationships to entire political or cultural groups.
B) Moral reasoning is explicitly taught in college and university settings.
C) When young people do not attend school, they often engage in deviant behavior, which has a negative impact on moral reasoning.
D) Students who attend college must have advanced moral reasoning in order to be successful in a competitive environment.

Question 64

Many studies have tested Gilligan's claim that Kohlberg's approach underestimates the moral maturity of females, and

A) most support it.
B) most do not support it.
C) the results are divided.
D) none support it.

Question 65

With few exceptions, individuals move through Kohlberg's first four stages in

A) reverse order.
B) a random order.
C) a rapid manner.
D) the predicted order.

Question 66

The connection between mature moral reasoning and action is __________, due to the __________.

A) weak; impact of personal relationships on the decision-making process
B) strong; realization that behavior reflects thinking and judgments
C) modest; influence of empathy, sympathy, and guilt
D) nonexistent; fact that theoretical morality and real-life morality are based on different constructs

Question 67

At age 3, Heike shows great concern when her mother injures her finger while gardening. Given her empathy in this situation, which of the following will be true of Heike at age 5?

A) She is likely to ignore social convention in her moral behaviors.
B) She will show strong moral self-perceptions.
C) She will understand and act on moral imperatives.
D) Her empathy does not predict tendencies in moral identity or action.

Question 68

As part of a school project, Pritindra gathers food donations for the poor and homeless. What is the likely result of Pritindra's participation in this project?

A) a belief that personal factors, such as low intelligence or addiction problems, are the cause of an individual's plight
B) a commitment to future community service and a gain further in moral maturity
C) a distaste for community service that is forced upon him by those in positions of authority
D) a sense of sympathy, but not empathy, for those in need

Question 69

Vamsee is a flexible and open-minded individual. He will most likely

A) be socially skilled and have many opportunities for social participation.
B) be uninterested in others' moral ideas and justifications.
C) have difficulty adapting to new experiences.
D) put his own thoughts and preferences aside and adopt the perspectives of others.

Question 70

Moral maturity is positively correlated with

A) popularity.
B) egocentrism.
C) IQ.
D) political aspirations.

Question 71

Suze wants to foster moral maturity in her children. How should Suze interact with her children to accomplish this?

A) Maintain a high level of power assertion and a low level of decision making.
B) Always intervene when the children argue since sibling arguments often escalate to physical aggression.
C) Engage in moral discussions and encourage prosocial behavior.
D) Use either permissive or authoritarian child rearing.

Question 72

Some evidence indicates that although the morality of males and females includes both orientations, females tend to stress __________, whereas males stress __________.

A) justice; empathetic perspective taking
B) empathetic perspective taking; care
C) care; justice
D) justice; care

Question 73

Adolescents who __________ are advanced in moral reasoning.

A) base social life on authority relations
B) interact with peers who have the same viewpoints
C) more often participate in conversations with their friends
D) like to engage in debate with their peers

Question 74

In response to the Heinz dilemma, David says, "It's a natural thing for Heinz to want to save his wife, but it's still his duty as a citizen to obey the law." David is most likely in the stage of __________ orientation.

A) social-order-maintaining
B) instrumental purpose
C) "good boy-good girl"
D) social-contract

Question 75

__________ is associated with civic commitment that persists into adulthood.

A) Participation in nonsport extracurricular activities at school
B) Reading about social injustice in other countries
C) Attending youth rallies
D) Watching movies that have a strong social message

Question 76

The existence of postconventional morality is a matter of speculation because

A) it is so rare that no clear evidence exists that Stage 6 actually follows Stage 5.
B) researchers disagree about how to assess it.
C) Kohlberg himself was unclear about moral reasoning at that stage.
D) it tends to emerge spontaneously in collectivist societies.

Question 77

Research on collectivist cultures has shown that

A) Kohlberg's highest stages are limited to Western societies that emphasize individual rights.
B) moral statements portray the individual as disconnected from the social group.
C) individuals in individualistic and collectivist societies reason in much the same way.
D) their responses to moral dilemmas are often more other-directed than in individualistic societies.

Question 78

Sasha's parents bring up controversial issues at home and encourage her to form opinions. Her school fosters a democratic climate in which teachers promote discussion of controversial issues while insisting that students listen to and respect one another. This environment will

A) enhance Sasha's sense of civic responsibility.
B) decrease Sasha's sense of civic responsibility.
C) cause Sasha to become self-absorbed and materialistic.
D) inhibit Sasha's ability to develop sympathy or empathy.

Question 79

Personality, child-rearing practices, peer interaction, schooling, and aspects of culture affect maturity of moral reasoning

A) in older adolescents and emerging adults but not children.
B) by presenting cognitive challenges, which stimulate young people to think about moral problems in more complex ways.
C) in individualistic but not collectivist societies, where moral reasoning tends to be delayed.
D) by teaching individuals to follow their intuition instead of simply abiding by what adults tell them.

Question 80

What is Gilligan's primary criticism of Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning?

A) Kohlberg's theory does not fully explain moral reasoning at Stages 4 and 5.
B) Kohlberg's theory is at odds with Piaget's theory and little research has been conducted on its validity.
C) Kohlberg's theory does not account for language differences between males and females.
D) Kohlberg's theory, originally based on interviews with males, does not adequately represent morality of girls and women.