Parenting style and the development of moral reasoning

This paper addresses the polarisation among theoretical perspectives in mor al psychology regarding the relative significance of parents and peers in c hildren's moral development and, in particular, the short shrift given the family context by cognitive-developmental theory. We contend that parents d o play a significant role in this area of their children's development. Res earch findings from two studies are presented which indicate that parents' interaction styles, ego functioning and level of moral reasoning used in di scussion are predictive of children's subsequent moral reasoning developmen t. The findings also illustrate the role of affective factors, in contrast to the contemporary emphasis on moral rationality, and the relevance of rea l-life dilemmas, in contrast to the paradigmatic reliance on hypothetical d ilemmas. Implications of these findings for our understanding of the role o f parenting style in children's moral development and for further research are discussed.