Moral Character

• Moral character


  An individual's disposition to think, feel, and behave in an ethical versus unethical manner
• Moral character


  An individual's set of psychological characteristics that affect that person's ability and inclination to function morally
• Moral character


  The force behind moral actions
• Components of moral character development


  • Ethical sensitivity
  • Ethical judgement
  • Ethical motivation
  • Ethical action
• Ethical sensitivity


  The capacity of a person to recognize the moral dilemma by looking through alternatives and moral choices
• Ethical judgement


  The consideration of possible alternative actions and the rationale for selecting the best alternatives
• Ethical motivation


  The selection of moral values most relevant in the situation and the commitment to act on that selection
• Ethical action


  The Ego strength combined with the psychological and social skills necessary to carry out the selected alternative
• Theories on character development


  • External/Social theory
  • Internal theory
  • Interactional theory
  • Personality/Identity theory
• External/Social theory

  Morality as a product of external imposition in the form of consequences and the intentional transmission of social rules and norms
• Internal theory


  Focuses on genetic and maturational influences on behavior
• Interactional theory

  Moral character development is in constant struggle between biological predispositions to act selfishly and aggressively and social pressures to act in a prosocial manner
• Personality/Identity theory


  Virtues as a combination of natural predispositions and interactions with the environment that involve both reflection and commitment to moral values and behavior
• Stages of moral development

  • Preconventional morality
  • Conventional morality
  • Post conventional
• Preconventional morality - Stage 1


  Punishment-avoidance: The sense of right and wrong is shaped by the standards of adults and children learned these through the physical consequences of the action
• Preconventional morality - Stage 2


  Instrumental exchange: There is no single view of rightness and wrongness
• Conventional morality - Stage 3


  Interpersonal conformity: Persons act to gain approval of others. The concept of right is conformity with the stereotypical behavioral and values expectations of one's society or peers
• Conventional morality - Stage 4


  Law and order: Maintaining the social order implies awareness and respect for fixed rules, laws and properly constituted authority
• Post conventional - Stage 5


  Prior rights and the social contract: The stage of an individual acts out of mutual obligation and a sense of public good
• Post conventional - Stage 6


  Universal ethical principles: An individual who reaches this stage acts out of universal principles (Such as equality, justice, human rights) based upon equal rights and worth of all living beings