Revision notes on the Development of Moral Behaviour

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The Development of Moral Behaviour Notes

Moral behaviour is behaviour that is considered right or wrong.

1. The behaviourist approach to Moral Development.

==> Based on the idea of reinforcement.

Parents try and teach their children the difference between right and wrong by offering punishments or rewards. Behaviour that is associated with a pleasant experience will tend to be repeated whilst behaviour that is associated with an unpleasant experience tends not to be repeated.

2. The Social Learning approach to Moral Development.

==> Involves observation and imitation.

Children observe other people being rewarded or punished for behaviour and so develop the idea of what is right and wrong from others' experience and imitate the observed behaviour when they are in a similar position.

Praise

Criticism

* Enough evidence to support the principles of the behaviourist approach and the social learning approach so it seems logical to apply these principals to moral behaviour.

* The theory can be applied to real life as teaching children the difference between right and wrong is a feature of most societies.

* Based on the cognitive approaches to moral development, children