Moral development, ego development, and ego identity in community college students
Embargo Date
Indefinite
OA Version
Citation
Abstract
This study examined the relationship among three variables, moral development, ego development, and ego identity status, as theoretically defined by Kohlberg, Loevinger, and Erikson. The population of this study was 53 male and female community college students between the ages of 18 and 23. They were enrolled in introductory courses in psychology, sociology, and anthropology and participated voluntarily.
Because of inconsistencies in previous research regarding the relationship of development in the ego and moral areas, it was decided to utilize Kohlberg's Moral Judgment Interview and two measures of ego, Loevinger's Sentence Completion Test and the Adams and Grotevant Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status - Extended Version, a variation of the Marcia measure. Previous research had used only one or the other of the ego measures, but not both. Information was obtained in a number of background variables, including sex, age, year in college, major, socioeconomic status, and home community.
It was hypothesized that: 1. There would be a significant, positive relationship between moral development and ego development. 2. There would be a significant, positive relationship between moral development and ego identity status, with identity achievement subjects scoring highest, followed by moratorium, foreclosure, and then diffusion subjects. 3. There would be a significant, positive relationship between ego development and ego identity status, with identity achievement subjects scoring highest, followed by moratorium, foreclosure, and diffusion subjects. 4. Moral development would precede ego development or identity status.
Support was found for Hypotheses I and II. Analyses of variance were significant. Background variables did not have a major effect on the relationship. In Hypothesis III, t-tests were utilized to test differences in mean ego development scores by identity status. It was found that achievement subjects differed significantly from moratorium and diffusion subjects, although moratorium and diffusion subjects did not differ significantly from each other. It appeared that the two measures of ego were measuring a similar characteristic. The relationship between each ego measure and moral development was similar but not identical. Differences between the two measures were noted in terms of the relationship to the background variables. Hypothesis IV was not confirmed. Implications for theory, research, and practice were discussed.
Description
Dissertation (Ed.D.)--Boston University
License
PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you.