Page 149 - Meeting with Children Book

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Moral Development

Morality is related to the capacity to take
responsibility for one's own actions.
Moral reasoning develops from infancy
continuing to adulthood. It begins with a
concrete here and now thinking and moves to abstract

perspective taking. The development of abstract thinking
leads the way to making decisions for the greater good
(McGrath and Brown, 2008). Early childhood is controlled
by reinforcement, punishment, direct instruction and
modeling. These influences are provided by significant
others and are at first experienced as an external standard
that a child follows. As time goes on, children begin to
internalize rules of behavior and their behavior comes
under personal control through evaluations of self-
reactions.

During middle to late childhood, taking personal
responsibility for one's actions increases. The ability to
distinguish the truth from a lie is part of responsibility
taking and evolves from the child's ability to anticipate
consequences. From the ages of 10-12 years, children
understand that lying, for instance, may be for the greater
good. Children will, for instance lie to protect someone or
lie to join with another person. Lying also serves to maintain
a positive view of self and to take credit for something by
blaming others. Another form of maintaining a positive
view of self in this stage of development is to leave out any
negative self actions or behaviors. If asked by an authority
figure, the child may take some responsibility but he will
have a detailed rationale. Additionally, if children are
judging the seriousness of a lie, at this stage their
evaluation will include betrayal of trust. All lies are now not
the same and some are told to spare others' feelings. Lying
is now considered wrong based more on a betrayal of trust