Recieved: 10/04/2017
Accepted: 10/30/2017
Published: 01/01/2018
p.: 114-120
DOI: 10.11621/npj.2017.0411
Keywords: responsibility; moral identity; moral dilemma; moral-value orientation; self-estimation; adolescence
Available online: 01.01.2018
Molchanov Sergei V. . Personal factors of moral responsibility in adolescence. // National Psychological Journal 2017. 4. p.114-120. doi: 10.11621/npj.2017.0411
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CopyBackground. Responsibility as a measure of individual freedom comes only under the condition of freedom of choice and the ability to anticipate and take into account the consequences of acts. Therefore, personal factors play a key role in taking moral responsibility. Scholars have studied the personal bases of responsibility that comprises autonomy, independence, confidence, the locus of control, the motivation to achieve a goal, the level of aspiration. However, the role of the moral self and moral identity in the determination of responsibility is not sufficiently studied.
Objective. The objective of the research is to study the relationship between the moral identity of the individual and the willingness to accept moral responsibility in adolescence. Proceeding from the general hypothesis about the essential role of moral identity in adopting and actualising themoral responsibility, two specific hypotheses are articulated, specifying the role of values and moral self-esteem in taking moral responsibility.
Design. An empirical study of adolescents aged 13–17 years was conducted. Subjects are students of educational institutions of general education in Moscow (a total of 314 subjects). The study poses the challenges of studying the readiness to accept moral responsibility by adolescents in the situation of a moral dilemma, the connection of the moral and value orientation of adolescents and the willingness to accept moral responsibility, the connection of self-esteem of moral qualities and the readiness of adolescents to accept moral responsibility. The methodology for assessing moral responsibility in the situation of solving the moral dilemma «Moral Situations from Real Life» (MORS), a modified version of M. Rokich’s method for evaluating value orientations, the method of structured moral self-esteem (A.I. Podolsky, P. Heymans, O.A. Karabanova) are used.
Conclusion. The results revealed the influence of the participants’ moral dilemma and the nature of the consequences (damage or profit to the participant of the dilemma) on the adolescents’ willingness to accept moral responsibility, as well as the role of moral value orientation in the principle of care and moral self-esteem. It was revealed that the self-esteem of such moral qualities as responsibility, honesty, responsiveness, caring is higher in adolescents, showing a high willingness to accept moral responsibility in a moral dilemma. Moral identity is proved to be a desire to maintain a high positive self-esteem of moral qualities according to the accepted system of values develops the basis of the normative moral self-regulation of the individual.
Table 1. Adolescents grouped by diverse degree of willingness to accept moral responsibility
|
№ |
Moral Dilemma |
High willingness to accept moral responsibility |
Low willingness to accept moral responsibility |
|
1 |
Violation of the norm, damage to an unfamiliar adult |
2.29 |
1.49 |
|
2 |
Violation of the norm, damage to an unfamiliar adult |
2.47 |
1.37 |
|
3 |
Violation of the norm, damage to a close peer, personal benefit |
2.87 |
2.66 |
|
4 |
Violation of the norm, damage to a close peer, personal benefit |
2.37 |
1.85 |
|
5 |
Conflict of norms, benefits for a close peer |
1.89 |
1.40 |
|
6 |
Conflict of norms, personal benefits, damage to peers |
2.67 |
1.91 |
|
7 |
Violation of the norm, damage to peers, personal benefit |
2.80 |
2.51 |
|
8 |
Violation of the norm, damage to a close peer, personal benefit |
2.56 |
2.18 |
|
|
Distribution by Cluster |
150 |
164 |
Table 2. Differences in the self-esteem of moral qualities in adolescents with a high and low willingness to accept moral responsibility (the Mann-Whitney test)
|
Moral Quality |
Real Self |
Mirror Self by My Parents Eyes |
Mirror Self by My Friend’s Eyes |
Mirror Self by My Teachers’ Eyes |
Ideal Self |
|
Courageous |
р=0.048 |
|
|
|
|
|
Honest |
р=0.036 |
р=0.045 |
р=0.025 |
|
|
|
Responsible |
р=0.016 |
р=0.028 |
р=0.038 |
р=0.007 |
|
|
Industrious |
|
р=0.027 |
|
|
|
|
Caring |
|
|
Р=0.003 |
|
|
|
Lazy |
|
|
|
|
р=0.045 |
|
Diligent |
|
|
|
|
р=0.016 |
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