Question

A child is presented with a story in which someone has a conflict about whether or not to lie in a particular situation. The child is then asked to decide what is appropriate for the character to do and why. What domain of moral development is the researcher examining?

Answer 1

The researcher is exploring the child's stage of moral development by seeing how they resolve a moral conflict in a provided story. This area of research aligns with Lawrence Kohlberg's theory, examining the way individuals progress through different levels of moral reasoning.

Step-by-step explanation:

The researcher is examining the domain of moral development in the context of the story provided to the child. This facet of psychology and socialization looks into how individuals decipher right from wrong as they progress through different stages of moral reasoning. Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development, for instance, articulates this progression through preconventional, conventional, and postconventional levels. The child's decision-making process in the given scenario offers insight into their current stage of moral development.

This evaluation aligns with Kohlberg's suggestion that moral reasoning might differ from moral behavior. While we may express sophisticated moral reasoning, our actions may not always reflect these complex thoughts, indicating an occasional dissociation between what we believe to be morally right (like the truth) and our actions (such as protecting someone we care for).