The Effect of Training Children to Consider Intentions When Making Moral Judgments

Summary

Prekindergarten children were trained to consider intentions when making moral judgments. Children were read pairs of stories that described an act producing damage. They were then asked to identify the worst act. In a verbal discrimination group, children were reinforced when they selected the act where the doer intended damage. The discussion group was also asked to identify the more negative act, but then participated in a discussion of their choices. The control group was given stories that did not contain acts producing damage. The results indicated that both types of training were instrumental in aiding children to consider the intentions of an agent when making moral judgments.