Chapter 52: Making a Moral Decision: A Proposition for an Integrated Model of Cognition, Emotion, and Social Interaction

This chapter will address the moral decision-making processes that lead to moral behaviors and actions in adolescents and children. An integrated model of cognition, emotions, and social interaction is proposed which may be applied to elucidate the developmental processes that contribute to moral judgment. The chapter will begin with a review of major theories of moral development, focusing on the cognitive-structural models of Piaget and Kohlberg, the affective model of Hoffman, and theories associated with socialization. The review will be followed by a proposed theoretical model that outlines the processes involved in making a moral decision. The model integrates cognitive, affective, and social interaction domains. Finally, the chapter will present empirical research to preliminarily validate and support the proposed model.