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The male group effect: measuring moral judgment and reasoning among two cohorts of first-year college men
Terry, Daniel J.
Terry, Daniel J.
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Fort Worth, Tex. : Texas Christian University,
Date
2013
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Abstract
What kinds of experiences, interventions, or programs within the college context appear to foster or enhance moral growth beyond what one would expect developmentally from any 18-22 year old student? This quasi-experimental study is directed toward the effects of a particular aspect of the college environment on the moral judgment development of a particular group of students; specifically, first-year college men. The study investigates whether a certain cohort of men, Alpha Alpha (AA), who participate in a non-traditional, intentional, character-driven approach to fraternity membership demonstrated a rate of growth in moral judgment and reasoning that was greater than that of a similar cohort of men, Beta Beta (BB), who participated in a traditional approach to fraternity membership. The Defining Issues Test, Version 2 (DIT2), a neo-Kohlbergian instrument used to measure moral judgment and reasoning, was used to assess change/growth in moral development over time.^Differences in the pre-test moral judgment scores of AA and BB were found, though the differences did not reach significance (.075, p<.05). Strong statistically-significant differences in mean moral judgment scores were found in post-test test scores for AA and BB (.008, p<.05), though both groups saw decreases in group moral judgment scores from pre- to post-test. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that there were significant differences in the change/growth rates of AA and BB (.048, p<.05). An examination of the moral judgment and reasoning scores of AA and BB alongside normative national DIT2 data for males concluded that the post-test scores of BB were significantly lower than that of the mean for first-year undergraduate men.^In discussing findings, the researcher notes the mitigating effect of AA's intervention; that is, rather than fostering growth in moral judgment and reasoning, it only appears to slow what might otherwise be a significant regression in moral judgment as a result of a powerful male group effect found in fraternities. The nature of this group effect is explored, and implications for practice and research are offered.
Contents
Subject
Subject(s)
Judgment (Ethics)
Male college students Conduct of life.
Moral development.
Male college students Conduct of life.
Moral development.
Research Projects
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Journal Issue
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Dissertation
Description
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Department
Education