ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the major theories of moral development originating with Piaget and Kohlberg, including contemporary modifications of those theories. It then reviews how these theories have been applied to moral decision-making and moral development of professionals, specifically journalists and public relations professionals. It notes that journalists and public relations professionals score well on tests of moral development when compared to other professions. Empirical work suggests that race may exert a significant influence on moral decision-making as does exposure to certain sorts of visual stimuli. The authors delineate moral development from moral judgment in empirical work. The chapter concludes with suggestions for further research, including an examination of the impact of emotion on moral decision-making.
