Roczniki Filozoficzne

Volume 28, Issue 4, 1980

Psychologia

Human Moral Development
(with Special Regard to Childhood)

The article, based on the literature and the author’s own reflections, belongs to the current of cognitive-developmental conceptions of moral development. The structure of morality evolves by means of manifold transmission of principles of conduct. One can distinguish within it relatively independent subjective and objective areas, and also elementary structures as indices of morality (for instance, the sense of guilt). The author gives a general presentation of several conceptions of dividing moral development into periods and stages and discusses in more detail the conception of L. Kohlberg. After a psychological analysis and moral classification of some behaviours of the child, he discusses the factors conditioning moral development, v.g. the psychobiological maturity of the organism, the family and extra-family environment, three sets of techniques of moral development and own activity. He stresses in conclusion that in the highest forms of commitment (religion, love) man transcends morality and submits to its restrictions freely and spontaneously.