MORAL REASONING OF STUDENTS OF DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL CHOICES

Abstract

The goal of this research was to investigate the differences in moral reasoning among students of social, biomedical and technical sciences. The sample included 300 students of both genders (154 male and 146 female students). In order to investigate students’ moral reasoning, we used a modified version of the DIT developed by Rest. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, which claims that there are six stages of moral development which are grouped into three levels of morality, was used as the theoretical foundation for the test. The results of the study show that there is a statistically significant difference at the postconventional level of moral judgment depending on the group of sciences: the level of postconventional moral reasoning is higher among the students of social and biomedical sciences than among the students of technical sciences. When it comes to the conventional level of moral reasoning, which is the modal level for the adult population, differences have not been observed. With regards to the individual stages of moral development, the results show that there are statistically significant differences in moral reasoning at stage 3, stage 4, stage 5A, stage 5B and stage 6. Stage 3 is more prominent among students of social and technical sciences than in students of biomedical sciences. Stage 4 and Stage 5A are higher in students of biomedical and social sciences than in technical science students. Stage 5B and stage 6 are more prevalent in biomedical sciences students than in students of the other two groups of sciences. Findings are discussed from the point of view of cognitive approach to morality and the contribution of educational and social factors to the moral development process of a person.