Israeli Moral Development Study, 1969-1978

This longitudinal study of Israeli kibbutz adolescents was designed to evaluate the validity of Kohlberg's moral development model in a cross-cultural context and to assess cultural differences in moral reasoning. Since this study includes both female and male adolescents, it also provides a data base from which to examine the validity of Kohlberg's moral development stages for women's lives. The study was conducted in Israel. The 92 respondents were divided into four subsamples, each of which corresponded with a kibbutz cohort. The sample includes both city and kibbutz-born youth. Data were collected in three waves. Participants were each interviewed once, twice, or three times between 1969 and 1978. Each participant responded to a series of moral dilemmas followed by a set of probing questions. The Kohlberg Moral Judgment Dilemmas used by the researchers included the Heinz Dilemma, the Officer Brown Dilemma, and the Joe Dilemma. The researchers also administered Kuhn's Cognitive Development Test (\"The Plant Problem\"). Each participant completed a basic data questionnaire which elicited information on the participant's family, religion, education, hobbies, and record of military service. All interviews were conducted individually and were tape recorded and transcribed. The Murray Research Archive holds transcripts of the Moral Judgement Interviews for all 92 respondents.