Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2

In 1988, P. Scott Richard's dissertation research at the University of Minnesota asserted that the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a widely accepted paper-and-pencil test of moral reasoning, exhibited item bias against religiously orthodox persons. Since 1988 (when Richard's data were reported...

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Main Author: Winder, Daniel R.
Format: Others
Published: DigitalCommons@USU 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/448
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1451&context=etd
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spelling ndltd-UTAHS-oai-digitalcommons.usu.edu-etd-14512019-10-13T06:14:46Z Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2 Winder, Daniel R. In 1988, P. Scott Richard's dissertation research at the University of Minnesota asserted that the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a widely accepted paper-and-pencil test of moral reasoning, exhibited item bias against religiously orthodox persons. Since 1988 (when Richard's data were reported), new methods of differential-item functioning (DIF) have developed, a new DIT has emerged (the DIT-2), as well as a Neo-Kohlbergian framework based upon moral schemas derived from Kohlberg's Piagetian-like six stages. With new methods, new tests, and unanswered questions, this study's results imply: (1) that DIT-2 items exhibit differential item functioning for religiously orthodox persons in statistically significant but not as practically significant ways as Richards' earlier findings, (2) that religious orthodoxy does influence macromoral reasoning as measured by the DIT-2, (3) that the maintaining norms schema is insufficient to explain the variables that contribute to why religiously orthodox persons score the way they do. This study implies that the maintaining norms schema may be misnamed because it appears to be measuring a different construct than maintaining norms macromoral reasoning. 2009-05-01T07:00:00Z text application/pdf https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/448 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1451&context=etd Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact Andrew Wesolek (andrew.wesolek@usu.edu). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations DigitalCommons@USU Defining Issues Test Differential Item Function DIT-2 Macromorality Mormon Religious Conservative Education Psychology Religion
collection NDLTD
format Others
sources NDLTD
topic Defining Issues Test
Differential Item Function
DIT-2
Macromorality
Mormon
Religious Conservative
Education
Psychology
Religion
spellingShingle Defining Issues Test
Differential Item Function
DIT-2
Macromorality
Mormon
Religious Conservative
Education
Psychology
Religion
Winder, Daniel R.
Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
description In 1988, P. Scott Richard's dissertation research at the University of Minnesota asserted that the Defining Issues Test (DIT), a widely accepted paper-and-pencil test of moral reasoning, exhibited item bias against religiously orthodox persons. Since 1988 (when Richard's data were reported), new methods of differential-item functioning (DIF) have developed, a new DIT has emerged (the DIT-2), as well as a Neo-Kohlbergian framework based upon moral schemas derived from Kohlberg's Piagetian-like six stages. With new methods, new tests, and unanswered questions, this study's results imply: (1) that DIT-2 items exhibit differential item functioning for religiously orthodox persons in statistically significant but not as practically significant ways as Richards' earlier findings, (2) that religious orthodoxy does influence macromoral reasoning as measured by the DIT-2, (3) that the maintaining norms schema is insufficient to explain the variables that contribute to why religiously orthodox persons score the way they do. This study implies that the maintaining norms schema may be misnamed because it appears to be measuring a different construct than maintaining norms macromoral reasoning.
author Winder, Daniel R.
author_facet Winder, Daniel R.
author_sort Winder, Daniel R.
title Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
title_short Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
title_full Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
title_fullStr Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
title_full_unstemmed Macromorality and Mormons: A Psychometric Investigation and Qualitative Evaluation of the Defining Issues Test-2
title_sort macromorality and mormons: a psychometric investigation and qualitative evaluation of the defining issues test-2
publisher DigitalCommons@USU
publishDate 2009
url https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/448
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1451&context=etd
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