Tobias Krettenauer

Reasoning about moral obligations and interpersonal responsibilities in different cultural contexts

The focus of our research is the development of the understanding of moral obligations and interpersonal responsibilities in a cross-cultural context. Friendship and parent‐child relations were selected as two types of relationships which are especially important in the process of development and socialization in which the meaning of obligations and responsibilities is learned. The socio-cultural contexts of a Western culture (Iceland) and an Asian culture (mainland China) represent two different cultural settings for development and socialization of the understanding of obligations and responsibilities in relationships. A developmental framework in which persons from both cultures are compared at different ages seems particularly well suited to pursue the question whether similarities or differences between persons from the two cultures occur and whether they are stable or vary in the time period from childhood to adolescence. In the following we shall first discuss theoretical aspects of this research and then outline some of the questions guiding the empirical research.

Behavioral Problems in Childhood and Adolescence as Predictors of Ego-Level Attainment in Early Adulthood

The study examines how externalizing as well as internalizing behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence predict young adults personalities as represented by Loevingers (1976) model of ego development. The sample consisted of 103 individuals studied longitudinally from ages 7 to 22. Behavioral problems were measured by teacher ratings at ages 9, 12 and 15, whereas ego-level was assessed once at age 22. Overall, both kinds of behavioral problems were substantially associated with ego-level attainment at age 22, even when gender, SES and level of education were controlled. Externalizing problems specifically predicted ego-level attainment below conformity (< E3). By contrast, internalizing problems were related particularly to difficulties in attaining ego-levels above conformity (> E6). The study demonstrates that behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence predict young adults ego-level attainment in unique and meaningful ways.

From substages to moral types and beyond : An analysis of core criteria for morally autonomous judgements

Based on Kohlberg’s typological distinction between heteronomous versus autonomous moral types (Type A vs. B), the study proposes a refined strategy for the assessment of autonomous morality that aims at overcoming methodological ‘aws of Kohlberg’s typological approach. Theoretically, two conceptually crucial criteria of autonomous morality were distinguished: (1) prescriptiveness; and (2) universality of moral reasoning. Empirically, measures of prescriptiveness and universality of moral reasoning were examined to determine whether or not they yield important empirical findings that were associated with the concept of moral types. In a study of 348 German adolescents from grades 9 and 12, both prescriptive and universalised moral reasoning were assessed by two standard probe questions of the Moral Judgment Interview. Both aspects of moral reasoning predicted readiness to take moral responsibility in the context of sociopolitical action. In addition, both measures were moderately correlated with moral stage, largely independent of SES, and unrelated to gender. There was significant longitudinal change towards prescriptive and universalised moral reasoning over a three-year interval. The findings demonstrate that the construct validity of Kohlberg’s approach to the assessment of autonomous morality can be significantly improved by using measures of the prescriptiveness and universality of moral reasoning.

Justice as solidarity: A study of the political socialization of adolescents from East and West Germany within the theoretical framework of Durkheim's sociology of morality

The contemporary transformations in western societies confront us with a problem already stated by Durkheim a century ago: What enables members of society to practice social solidarity while becoming increasingly more individualistic? This question is analyzed in view of the political socialization of adolescents and its developmental implications. In line with the Durkheimian tradition in developmental psychology established by Piaget and elaborated by Kohlberg, it is claimed that the development of moral autonomy gives rise to a justice-related sense of responsibility that may foster bonds of solidarity within society. This developmental model was tested against the impact of socialization variables in a sample of East and West Germany adolescents, aged 15 and 18 (N=348). Analyses of the data revealed a substantial relationship between the development of moral autonomy and the readiness to take responsibility for others in response to justice concerns. The impact of the development of moral autonomy on the formation of a justice-related sense of responsibility depended only minimally on background indicators of political socialization in adolescence (e.g., East or West German origin, the socioeconomic status of parents). In the context of current social conditions a developmental approach to political socialization appears crucial to explain the emergence of justice concerns giving rise to solidarity.