moral development
Learning right, wrong
Moral development is the process by which people acquire values, ethical reasoning, and a sense of right and wrong.
The term is central to developmental psychology, particularly Lawrence Kohlberg's influential stage theory mapping how children progress from self-interested reasoning toward principled ethical thinking.
Psychologists study moral development in children through how they respond to hypothetical dilemmas.
- self-regulationManaging one's own behavior
- empathySharing another's emotions
- socializationInternalizing cultural norms
- value judgmentAssessment of worth/morality
- peer pressureInfluence from one's equals
growing up · developmental milestones · internalization · altruism · role model · attachment theory · conscience · inner voice · right and wrong · good and evil · Piaget · ethical reasoning · deontology · consequentialism · character education · life lessons · family values · stages
- child developmentbaby, toddler, newborn, infancy, milestones
- psychologypsychology, psychologist, therapist, psychiatrist, clinical psychology
- social developmentsocialization, social skills, friendship, social behavior, belonging
- character buildingintegrity, resilience, self-discipline, confidence, sportsmanship
- coming-of-agecoming-of-age, bildungsroman, growing up, maturation, youth
- moralsethics lessons, conscience, principles, values, ethics
moral developmentmoral decline
Erosion of ethical standards
moral decay · moral corruption · depravity · moral collapse · demoralization