Moral Development: Theory and Applications

A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2014!

This class-tested text provides a comprehensive overview of the classical and current theories of moral development and applications of these theories in various counseling and educational settings. Lively and accessible, this text engages students through numerous examples and boxes that highlight applications of moral development concepts in today’s media and/or interviews from some of today’s leading theorists or practitioners. Dilemma of the Day boxes help readers apply theory to real world situations. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and further resources. Summary tables of theory strengths and weaknesses (Part 1) and tables that connect applications to their theoretical roots are provided in Part 2.

Other highlights include:

• Provides an excellent resource for courses addressing the CACREP program objectives for Human Growth and Development.
• Emphasis on application helps readers make the connection between theory and moral issues of our time.
• Examines changes across time and experience in how people understand right and wrong and individual differences in moral judgments, emotions, and actions.

• Demonstrates how theory is used by today’s helping professionals (Part 1).
• Integrates issues of gender and ethnicity throughout to prepare readers for practicing in a global culture.
• Chapter on global perspectives (ch. 6) reviews theories on the cultural aspects of morality including examples from China, Islam, Latin America, and Africa.
• Reviews the latest research methods techniques used in the field.
• Integrates classic work with contemporary guidelines for assessment and treatment.
• Highlights research on the moral and empathic development of antisocial youth, psychopaths, and individuals diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum.

Each chapter in Part 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the theory under review, its strengths and challenges, and examples of how the theory applies to helping professionals. The theories covered include those by Freud, Piaget, Kohlberg, Rest, Gilligan, Nodding, Bandura, Turiel, Nucci, Haidt, and Shweder. Part 1 concludes with a summary of the key points and the strengths and weaknesses of each of the theories reviewed. Part 2 highlights promising applications of moral development theory in education and counseling. These include coverage of character education programs based on sound developmental theory and examples of how drawing on a deep grounding in moral development theory can help future counselors better evaluate their clients’ cognitive, emotional and behavioral challenges. The text explores specific approaches to helping clients with a variety of dysfunctional or developmental behavior problems like conduct disorder and psychopathy.

Ideal as a text for advanced undergraduate and/or graduate courses on moral development or moral psychology or as a supplement in courses on human and/or child and/or social and personality development taught in psychology, counseling, education, human development, family studies, social work, and religion, this book’s applied approach also appeals to mental health and school counselors.

Elizabeth C. Vozzola is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Honors Program at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT, USA.