In other words, one mode reflects the dimensions of separateness and impersonality consistent with a traditional, white, Christian, Western-European paradigm of thinking. The other mode reflects the dimensions of interrelatedness and the value of personal experiences and relationships characteristic of alternative paradigm thinking. While not tied to gender, they do reflect the typical developmental experiences of men and women in Western societies. Clearly, how we see ourselves has countless implications for how we behave. Gilligan focuses on themes and principles.
Moral problems arise out of conflicting responsibilities rather than competing rights.
Moral problems require resolution through thinking that is contextual and narrative rather than formal and abstract. The framework places the emphasis on context, relationship, and interrelatedness. Contrast this view with views of morality that emphasize human rights. Here the emphasis is on separation rather than connection and on the individual rather than the relationship as primary. Although, Gilligan believes that a perspective on morality that emphasizes responsibility and relationship does not mutually exclude a sense of individuality or autonomy.