ABSTRACT
The psychological study ofmoral development has undergone amajor transformation over the past several decades. The field has expanded greatly, both in terms of the diversity of theoretical perspectives represented, aswell as in the range of topics studied. Theories have expanded to consider current developments in other areas of psychology, including social psychology, cognitive psychology, and the neurosciences, as well as scholarship in other social science disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, political science, ethics, and philosophy. For instance, recent work in biology has contributed to thinking about the biological basis of morality; philosophical writings have informed current definitions of morality; scholarship in sociology has provided new ways of thinking about the role of social groups and juvenile delinquency; anthropological writing has contributed to debates about the role and definition of culture; new research in social psychology has led to renewed interest in morality as it pertains to intergroup relationships, racism, and prejudice; and educational research on teaching and effective classrooms has enriched developmental research on moral education. Moreover, research on moral development now includes a diverse range of topics, including civil liberties, culture, intergroup relationships, gender hierarchies, family relationships, parenting, conscience, values, community service, aggression, nature, children’s rights, victimization, and educational programs designed to implement developmental and character education programs. Although multiple forces have led to these changes in the field, the expansiveness of the theoretical formulations has generated new research directions with implications for research and scholarship in multiple fields. Handbook of Moral Development represents the diversity and multidisciplinary influences on current theorizing about the psychological study of moral development and the range and broad scope of topics being considered. To highlight the diversity of the topics, we organized the 26 chapters into six parts that represent the conceptual themes of these different theoretical perspectives and topics: Part II, Structuralism and Moral Development Stages; Part III, Social Domain Theory and Social Justice; Part IV, Conscience, Socialization, and Internalization; Part V, Social Interactional, Sociocultural, and Comparative Approaches; Part VI, Empathy, Emotions, and Aggression; and Part VII, Moral Education, Character Development, and Community Service.
