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The ethic of care development: A longitudinal study of moral reasoning among practical‐nursing, social‐work and law‐enforcement students
Author(s) -
JUUJÄRVI SOILE
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.743
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1467-9450
pISSN - 0036-5564
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9450.2006.00507.x
Subject(s) - psychology , law enforcement , work (physics) , enforcement , moral reasoning , moral development , social psychology , law , political science , mechanical engineering , engineering
The study investigated changes in care‐based moral reasoning, in the context of justice development over the 2‐year period among practical‐nursing, bachelor‐degree social‐work and law‐enforcement students ( N = 59). Main measures were Skoe's Ethic of Care Interview and Colby et al .'s Moral Judgment Interview. Of the participants 34% progressed in care reasoning, and 48% in justice reasoning. Social‐work and nursing students progressed in care reasoning, and all groups progressed in justice reasoning. One participant (1.7%) regressed in care reasoning. Care and justice reasoning were parallel in terms of internal consistency, and they were positively related to each other. Findings suggest that care reasoning follows a developmental sequence, involving three main and two transitional levels, as suggested by Gilligan (1982). Main levels include self‐concern (Level 1), caring for others (Level 2), and balanced caring for self and others (Level 3).