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Cognitive Development In Children: Experiment Essay

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Cognitive Development in Children: Experiment

Piaget suggests that children prior to the age of seven develop an objective moral orientation. They tend to evaluate the good or bad actions on the basis of the consequences of the actions (good or bad). At about the age seven, children develop a subjective moral orientation which involves evaluation of behavior in terms of whether the intentions were good or bad. This investigational method is used to determine whether children under the age of seven have objective moral reasoning; along with, if children about the age of seven have subjective moral reasoning.

Method

Subjects:

The subjects were children from 1990 to 1995 between the ages of three to 11. …show more content…

Story Pair Two:

A. Sarah (Kenny) was playing on her (his) swing in the back yard. Her brother
(his sister) was also playing in the back yard. He (she) decided to go over to the sandbox to play. As he (she) walked by the swing, Sarah (Kenny) tried to kick him (her) but misses.

B. Pauline (Billy) was watching TV. Her brother (his sister) was playing nearby.
She (he) hears her (his) friends playing outside and gets up to run outside and play with them. As she (he) is running she (he) bumps into her brother (his sister). He (she) falls down, his (her) nose begins to bleed, and he (she) begins to cry.

Story Pair Three:

A. Anne (Scott) is playing on the wall near her (his) house. She (he) is not supposed to play there because it is very dangerous to climb on the wall. But
Anne (Scott) goes ahead and climbs to the top of the wall. She (he) slips and bruises her (his) knee.

B. Barbara (Trevor) climbs up a very tall tree to help her (his) kitten get down. She (he) reaches the kitten and helps her get down. But as she (he) climbs down, a branch of the tree breaks and Barbara (Trevor) falls to the ground. She (he) breaks a leg.

Procedure:

You must arrange a time to meet with the child in the his/her environment with no other children present in the room. Set a rapport with the child for a few minutes, if you don't know the child. When the child has settled down and there is no distractions proceed with the investigation. Tell the child

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