ABSTRACT
This chapter argues about the classical Confucian moral psychology provides rich theoretical support for service-learning pedagogy as an ideal candidate for developing moral sensitivity, and in turn, moral motivation and action. It first discusses moral self-cultivation in the Confucian tradition, focusing on Mencius's account of innate prosocial tendencies, or sprouts, which are the source of moral judgment and action. The chapter next explains the extent to which empathy and affect are implicated in moral motivation and action. Expanding on this discussion, it argues that Mencius's moral psychology, which integrates cognitive, affective, and volitional capacities, provides a unique framework for understanding the motivational efficacy of affect and its bearing on moral development. The chapter next turns to an extended account of service learning, and concludes that it is an exemplary pedagogical means for integrating these cognitive, affective, and volitional capacities. Service learning is one of the most effective pedagogical methods for inducing empathic and emotional response.
