GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MORAL REASONING OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the levels and stages of moral reasoning among students of 10^th grade in the light of Kohlberg’s theory. Main objectives of the study were to measure the moral reasoning stages of male and female children of this grade and to find out the gender differences in moral reasoning. 100 students (50 boys, 50 girls) were selected as sample of the study from boys’ and girls’ schools. An Urdu version of Moral dilemma known as “Hienz and the druggist” was adopted and used as a measuring instrument for moral reasoning. It was found that, with a little variation, majority of the tenth graders were ranked at postconventional stage of universal ethical principle. Significant gender differences were also detected in the reasoning of tenth graders.