Ethical Sensitivity of Finnish Lutheran 7 th-9 th Grade Students

This study examined ethical sensitivity self-evaluations of two Finnish urban schools 7th 9th grade students (n = 249) with Ethical Sensitivity Scale Questionnaire (ESSQ). ESSQ is based on Narvaez operationalization of ethical sensitivity (2001): (1) Reading and expressing emotions, (2) taking the perspectives of others, (3) caring by connecting to others, (4) working with interpersonal and group differences, (5) preventing social bias, (6) generating interpretations and options and (7) identifying the consequences of actions and options. Three research questions were formulated: Are there any differences in the self-reported ethical sensitivity between (1) Lutheran non-confirmed and confirmed; (2) female and male; and (3) academically average and above average students? Results showed that more data (also cross-cultural) and further statistical analyses are needed to prove usefulness of the ESSQ in practice. Results regarding the first question showed that those students who have had more religious education at school and also completed their Lutheran confirmation school, selfreported higher ethical skills than their younger and non-confirmed peers. Results regarding the second question showed clearly that female students estimated their ethical skills higher than their male peers. Results regarding the third question showed that more academically gifted students estimated their ethical skills higher than average ability students. 1. Ethical Sensitivity as an Important Component in Morality According to Bebeau, Rest and Narvaez (1999), morality is built upon four basic component processes. These processes include moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation and moral character. The components of moral sensitivity, moral motivation and moral character have been less studied than the component of moral judgment. Most of the studies in the area of moral development have based their theory on the cognitive-developmental theory of Lawrence Kohlberg (e.g., 1969). The Defining Issues Test (DIT) is a well-documented measure of moral judgment that has been used all over the world (Rest, 1986). The index most frequently used is the “P score,” which reflects the principled reasoning (Stages 5 and 6 in Kohlberg’s theory) of a person. Kohlberg’s procedures have been criticized for lack of diversity in the moral dilemmas that have been used in the interviews (Yussen, 1977). The hypothetical dilemmas can also be seen as being too abstract and removed from the daily experiences of most people (Straughan, 1975). Recognition of these aspects of hypothetical dilemmas has led educational researchers to study real-life moral problems identified by people (Walker, de Vries & Trevethan, 1987). The research conducted in this area shows that the adolescents formulate dilemmas, which are very different from the hypothetical dilemmas used by Kohlberg and his colleagues to assess moral reasoning (Yussen, 1977; Binfet, 1995). Most of the dilemmas formulated by Kohlberg focus on issues of ownership, public welfare and life-and-death. In Yussen’s (1977) study, the moral dilemma themes formulated by adolescents focused most frequently on interpersonal relations. Colangelo (1982) and Tirri (1996) found the same tendency with gifted adolescents. Andreani and Pagnin provided a comprehensive review of the literature in their article (1993, 539-553). According to these authors, the gifted students are presumed to have a privileged position in the maturation of moral thinking because of their precocious intellectual growth.