MORAL REASONING, CLASSROOM-BEHAVIOR, AND SOCIOMETRIC STATUS AMONG ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL-CHILDREN

Relations among moral reasoning, classroom behavior, and sociometric s tatus were investigated in a sample of 133 2nd and 3rd graders. It was hypothesized that hedonistic and needs-oriented moral reasoning, 2 fo rms of L. Kohlberg's (1984) Stage 2 moral reasoning, would be differen tially related to teacher's ratings of classroom behavior and to socio metric status. Among boys, hedonistic moral reasoning was associated w ith the lack of social competencies, acting-out behavior, and low soci al preference. In addition to influencing sociometric status indirectl y through social behavior, moral reasoning was found to explain varian ce in sociometric status not accounted for by either acting-out or soc ial competencies. Results support N. Eisenberg's (1986) claim that hed onistic and needs-oriented reasoning are qualitatively distinct. Altho ugh both forms of reasoning characterize Kohlberg's Stage 2, it is hed onistic reasoning, not needs-oriented reasoning, that appears to be as sociated with poor social behavior and, in turn, low sociometric statu s.