In the search for a comprehensive understanding of moral development from childhood to
adulthood the morality of adolescence should be discussed as it also pertains to the current research topic. The research findings related to moral development during adolescence has shown that a number of factors distinguish adolescent development from that of childhood. One of these factors is the increased amount of time that adolescents spend with their peers along with certain age-related changes they experience (Hart & Carlo, 2005). Some of these age related changes adolescents
experience are physiological, physical maturation, and cognitive growth which influences moral behaviours as there is an increase in the maturation of certain brain structures enabling adolescents to reason about abstract concepts such as justice and adopt broad perspectives on problems
(Segalowitz, Unsal, & Dywan, 1992; Fabes, Carlo, Kupanoff, & Laible, 1998; Sigelman & Rider, 2006). As mentioned previously, the increased amount of peer interaction also influence the moral development of adolescents as they provide an increase in ‘role-taking opportunities’ and expose adolescents to novel moral behaviours (Hart, Atkins, Markey, & Youniss, 2004; Hart & Atkins, 2002).
Becoming apart of the community and adhering to socially regulated behaviours provide
adolescents with additional opportunities for moral decision-making. Various scholars (Holland et al., 2000; Damon, 1990; Crain, 1992) have emphasized the importance of participation in moral dialogue in the development of moral reasoning. According to Holland et al. (2000) young people’s discourse “is laced through with relationships and sociability, with parents, with family, with friends” (pp. 288). A study by Bosisio (2008) which investigated the representations of justice in young people revealed that young people draw on a vast amount of rules and moral principles chosen in a selective and complementary manner according to each given situation when making justice and moral judgements. In light of the above section it becomes evident that in discussing moral development one has to consider the distinct stages of development each with their own challenges and opportunities which invariably either promote or inhibit moral development as well as the impact of the environment with its contextual cues on moral reasoning.
2.9 Conclusion
In this chapter the various theoretical viewpoints which have informed current understanding of moral development were discussed. These theories illustrates that a comprehensive view of the development of morality is necessary and should include the affective, cognitive, behavioural and social components of individuals as well as the impact of their culture and particular developmental stage. In the following chapter exposure to violence will be discussed as another aspect which impacts on the general functioning and moral development of children and adolescents.
CHAPTER 3
The Impact of Exposure to Violence
3.1 Introduction
The American Psychological Association (1993) defines violence as immediate or chronic situations that result in injury to the psychological, social or physical well-being of individuals or groups. According to Masuku (2001) interpersonal violence and crime have affected all South African citizens and violence has become an accepted form of conflict resolution. An injury
mortality surveillance study found that homicide was the leading cause of death in South Africa and accounted for 45% of all non-natural deaths (Burrows, Bowman, Matzopoulos, & van Niekerk, 2001). According to an annual report on the crime situation in South Africa by the South African Police Service (SAPS), a total of approximately 2.1 million serious crimes were registered during the period of 2008/2009 in the Republic of South Africa with 32.7% being crimes against the person. Sexual offences accounted for 10.4% of the 32.7 % figure of contact crimes. In addition, a total of 48 732 crimes ranging from murder, attempted murder to sexual offences and common assault against children under the age of 18 years were reported in the period of 2008/2009. Intimate femicide which entails men’s killing of their intimate female partners suggest that domestic violence is prevalent in South Africa (Vetten, 2005). Matthews et al. (2004) further reports that in 1999, 8.8 per 100 000 of the female population aged 14 and older died at the hands of their partners which is the highest rate reported in research worldwide.
According to Macmillan (2001) victimization is most prevalent during early life and as such is experienced during key stages of development and can influence developmental pathways as well as
shape the character and content of later life to a significant degree. In South Africa young people between the ages of 12 and 22 are generally victimized at twice the adult rate and even higher for violent crimes (Pelser, 2008). A further comparison of the South African Institute for Security Studies (2003), and the 2005 National Youth Victimisation Survey found that young people experience assault eight times the adult rate; theft at five times and robbery at four times the adult rate (Leoschut & Burton, 2005). Research has often examined the effect that experiences and circumstances in early life have on the functioning of individuals in later adulthood. The present study has a similar purpose but focuses on specific factors like the experiences of exposure to violence in adolescence and how this affects physical, emotional and cognitive functioning which is necessary for moral competence in later life. In light of the above mentioned it is imperative that the relationship between exposure to violence in early life and the development of morality be
thoroughly explored. This chapter will review the incidence and prevalence of violence within the South African context, followed by the latest research findings regarding the influence of exposure to violence on subsequent violent behaviour. The relationship between exposure to violence and moral development will also be discussed. Finally, a biopsychosocial perspective of the connection between exposure to violence and moral development is presented.