The development of moral judgements in children

Moral judgements in children evolve as they grow and interact with their surroundings. Through these interactions, children learn what behaviours are socially acceptable within their specific cultural and societal contexts. This process shapes their understanding of right and wrong, influencing how they evaluate actions and statements over time.

The influence of culture on moral values regarding honesty

Honesty is often regarded as a fundamental moral principle, yet its interpretation and importance can vary significantly across different cultures. While some theories suggest honesty is a universal value, research indicates that it can conflict with other moral priorities depending on cultural norms.

Cultural variations in valuing honesty

• Individualism vs. collectivism - In cultures emphasising individualism, such as many Western societies, honesty is often prioritised as a reflection of personal integrity. In contrast, collectivist cultures may value harmony or self-effacement over blunt truthfulness, leading to different moral weightings.
• Conflict with other values - Honesty might be balanced against values like kindness or loyalty, where lying could be seen as morally acceptable if it protects others' feelings or maintains social harmony.

Key research on cross-cultural differences in moral judgements (Lee et al., 1997)

A significant study by Lee et al. (1997) explored how children from different cultural backgrounds evaluate lying and truth-telling in various scenarios. This research highlighted the role of cultural norms and age in shaping moral perspectives.

Method

• Participants - The study involved 120 Chinese children from Hangzhou and 108 Canadian children from Fredericton, divided into three age groups: 7, 9, and 11 years, all from elementary schools.
• Design - A laboratory experiment using an independent measures design to investigate cross-cultural differences in moral valuations of lying.
• Variables - Independent variables included culture (Chinese or Canadian), age (7, 9, or 11 years), story type (social or physical), and scenario type (pro-social or antisocial). The dependent variables were the ratings of a story character's deed and verbal statement.
• Rating scale - A seven-point scale was used, ranging from very, very good (3 red stars) to very, very naughty (3 black crosses), with a neutral midpoint (blue circle).

Results

• Pro-social behaviour and truth-telling - Children from both cultures rated truth-telling in pro-social situations similarly positively. However, Canadian children's ratings remained consistent across ages, while Chinese children's ratings became less positive as they grew older.
• Pro-social behaviour and lie-telling - Canadian children generally rated lie-telling negatively, though this negativity lessened with age. In contrast, Chinese children's ratings shifted from negative to positive as they aged, reflecting cultural values of modesty or harmony.
• Antisocial behaviour and truth-telling - Both Chinese and Canadian children rated truth-telling in antisocial contexts very positively, showing agreement on the moral value of honesty here.
• Antisocial behaviour and lie-telling - Both groups rated lie-telling in antisocial situations negatively, with the negativity increasing with age. Notably, 7-year-old Chinese children were less negative in physical story scenarios, while 7-year-old Canadian children were less negative in social story scenarios.

Conclusions

• Cultural influence - Social and cultural norms significantly shape children's moral judgements, with Chinese children influenced by values like self-effacement, prioritising group harmony over individual honesty in some contexts.
• Age and experience - Moral evaluations change with age, reflecting increased exposure to cultural expectations and more nuanced understanding of intent and context.
• Contextual morality - The study underscores that moral development is highly contextual, shaped by both cultural environment and specific situational factors.

Evaluation

• Cultural bias in prior research - Previous studies on moral development largely focused on Western children raised in individualistic environments, often overlooking collectivist perspectives. This study addresses that gap by including diverse cultural samples.

Factors affecting children's evaluations of lying and truth-telling

Children's moral judgements about lying and truth-telling are influenced by several key factors, beyond just cultural background. These elements help explain why children may view the same action differently depending on context and development stage.

Influences on moral evaluations

• Statement factuality - Children, even at a young age, base their judgements on whether a statement is true or false, with falsity often linked to negative moral evaluations.
• Deceptive intent - When deceptive intent is clear, children as young as preschool age can distinguish lying from other misdeeds and make consistent moral assessments similar to older children.
• Consequences and punishment - The potential for punishment or negative outcomes heavily influences children's moral ratings, especially in younger age groups where rules are often seen as absolute.