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Why Morals Change Over Time Life is a Classroom. One big reason morals can change is because life itself is like a classroom. Every day you're learning something new, whether it's from a book, a conversation with a friend, or even something you see on TV. These lessons can make you see things differently and might make you update your personal ...
- How Morals Are Established
- Morals That Transcend Time and Culture
- Examples of Morals
- Morality vs. Ethics
- Morality and Laws
- A Word From Verywell
Morality isn’t fixed. What’s considered acceptable in your culture might not be acceptable in another culture. Geographical regions, religion, family, and life experiences all influence morals.
Scholars don’t agree on exactly how morals are developed. However, there are several theories that have gained attention over the years:
•Freud’s morality and the superego: Sigmund Freud suggested moral development occurred as a person’s ability to set aside their selfish needs were replaced by the values of important socializing agents (such as a person’s parents).
•Piaget’s theory of moral development: Jean Piaget focused on the social-cognitive and social-emotional perspective of development. Piaget theorized that moral development unfolds over time, in certain stages as children learn to adopt certain moral behaviors for their own sake—rather than just abide by moral codes because they don’t want to get into trouble.
•B.F. Skinner’s behavioral theory: B.F. Skinner focused on the power of external forces that shaped an individual’s development. For example, a child who receives praise for being kind may treat someone with kindness again out of a desire to receive more positive attention in the future.
•Kohlberg’s moral reasoning: Lawrence Kohlberg proposed six stages of moral development that went beyond Piaget’s theory. Through a series of questions, Kohlberg proposed that an adult’s stage of reasoning could be identified.
Most morals aren’t fixed. They usually shift and change over time.
Ideas about whether certain behaviors are moral—such as engaging in pre-marital sex, entering into same-sex relationships, and using cannabis—have shifted over time. While the bulk of the population once viewed these behaviors as “wrong,” the vast majority of the population now finds these activities to be “acceptable.”
The following are common morality examples that you may have been taught growing up, and may have even passed on to younger generations:
•Be polite
•Have empathy
•Don't steal
•Tell the truth
•Treat others as you want to be treated
Some scholars don’t distinguish between morals and ethics. Both have to do with “right and wrong.”
However, some people believe morality is personal while ethics refer to the standards of a community.
Both laws and morals are meant to regulate behavior in a community to allow people to live in harmony. Both have firm foundations in the concept that everyone should have autonomy and show respect to one another.
Legal thinkers interpret the relationship between laws and morality differently. Some argue that laws and morality are independent. This means that laws can’t be disregarded simply because they’re morally indefensible.
Others believe law and morality are interdependent. These thinkers believe that laws that claim to regulate behavioral expectations must be in harmony with moral norms. Therefore, all laws must secure the welfare of the individual and be in place for the good of the community.
Something like adultery may be considered immoral by some, but it’s legal in most states. Additionally, it’s illegal to drive slightly over the speed limit but it isn’t necessarily considered immoral to do so.
It can be helpful to spend some time thinking about the morals that guide your decisions about things like friendship, money, education, and family. Understanding what’s really important to you can help you understand yourself better and it may make decision making easier.
5 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
1.Merriam-Webster.A Lesson on 'Unmoral', 'Immoral', 'Nonmoral', and 'Amoral'
Merriam-Webster. A lesson on 'unmoral,' 'immoral,' 'nonmoral,' and 'amoral.'
2.Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T. The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017. Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759
- The Teacher’s Pet. Obtaining the approval of role models is an essential concern in stage 3. This can be readily observed in many middle school classrooms as some students strive to win the approval of their favorite teacher.
- Pressure to Cheat. Depending on the social group, there may exist a great deal of pressure to cheat on a school exam. The consequences of refusing to cheat, or help others cheat, can mean disapproval from valued members of a social group.
- Exploring Fashion Choices. Stage 3 begins during the pre-teen years and continues into adolescence. This can be a time when young boys and girls experiment with different styles of clothing.
- Volunteering. There are many ways to volunteer: working in soup kitchens, animal shelters, or helping the elderly with household chores. There are also many reasons that a person could choose to do volunteer work.
May 26, 2024 · Definition. The preconventional level of moral reasoning is the first of three levels in Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. In this stage, children have a very basic and egocentric understanding of what is good and bad behavior. For young children, that external definition comes from their parents and teachers.
- Obedience and punishment. The obedience and punishment stage is based on children’s desire to follow the rules created by authority figures. Their motivation is simply to avoid being punished.
- Self-interest. As children mature, their motivation for displaying certain behaviors shifts from seeking external rewards to considering what they personally believe is in their best interest.
- Conformity. During the conformity stage, children’s actions are motivated by the approval of others. Morality arises from living up to the standards of a group, such as family or community.
- Law and order. This stage is characterized by accepting rules because they are important in maintaining a functional society. Rules are the same for everyone, and it is essential that all members of society obey them.
Oct 26, 2023 · Morality refers to the set of principles and values that guide human behavior. It is a system of beliefs about what is right and wrong, good and bad, and just and unjust. Morality is a subjective concept, meaning that it varies across cultures and individuals. There are several different theories of morality, including consequentialism ...
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Morality, a cornerstone of human social interaction, is a complex construct that encompasses the discernment between right and wrong, and the commitment to act according to ethical principles. In psychological terms, morality is often associated with cognitive processes, emotional regulation, and social influences that guide behavior. Historically, the study of morality has traversed through ...
