Character education, character values and moral behavior

Background. It is unclear how character is related to moral behavior, and if character can be fostered by character education. Aims. The present studies investigated which values are related to moral behavior and whether there are cross-cultural similarities. Further, the present studies examined the relationship between character education and its targeted values and prosocial behavior. Samples. Participants included 303 young adults from three distinct populations, Singapore, China, and the United States (Study 1), and 110 young adults from Singapore (Study 2). Methods. Participants rated statements on the six values espoused by Singapore’s character education, negative traits, and their moral behavior. Correlational analyses were used to examine the relationship between values and moral behavior, and MANOVAs were conducted for population differences.