| Summary: | 碩士 === 佛光大學 === 心理學系 === 95 === The implicit assumption of Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s cognitive developmental theory is the development of cognitive coherence (equilibrium between internal cognitive structure and external environmental world).via resolution of cognitive conflict. The purpose of present research is to investigate whether the global coherence of moral thinking is increased by age. The author utilized four moral situations to evaluate the subjects’ responses to two contradictive arguments concerning behavior of stealing, cheating, cheating in an exam, breaking promise. The correlation of the two responses indicated the degree of coherence. Since the material should be developed differently for younger children and older subject, the author designed two studies to study two age groups; Study 1 for elementary school children, Study 2 for older subjects. Study 1 showed that sixth graders’ moral judgment is more coherent than third graders’ except “Breading Promise Story”. Study 2 showed that college students’ moral judgment is more coherent than sixth graders’ degree of coherence except “Breaking Promise Story” as well. Taking study 1 and study 2 into account, coherence of moral thinking is increased by age which support the implication by Piaget and Kohlberg’s theoretical hypothesis. Because Study 1 and Study 2’s used the “direct-transparent test” method which may induce the awareness of the conflict of the two arguments and hence decrease the age differences in judgments, Study 3 used “direct-subtle test” to test the effect of the obviousness of conflict. Study 3 showed that “direct-subtle test” is more sensitive than direct-transparent test from developmental perspective. This indicates that people higher ability to detect contradiction may be involved in the development of the coherence of moral thinking.
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