Handbook of moral motivation: Theories, models ... - Sense Publishers

MORAL MOTIVATION AND THE FOUR COMPONENT MODELreconciliation model mentioned earlier, individuals who emphasize either agencyor communion ought to present a pattern across Rest’s components that highlightsthe lack of coordination between these two competing claims on one’s motivation.We note Walker and Frimer’s (2007) finding that statistical interactions betweenagency and communion do not out predict the individual main effects. Neverthelesswe suggest that a lack of coordination between these themes would be evidencednot by statistical interactions, but through the identification of profiles across thecomponents as defined by mean differences and the strength of paths betweencomponents. It is interesting to note that Bebeau (2009a; 2009b) found that dentistswho were disciplined by their governing bodies did not show evidence of a failingon a particular component in Rest’s system. Instead most noticeable was a lackof coordination across components and a particular weakness in one of them. Itis interesting to speculate whether professionals who fail to uphold standards ofthe profession do so in characteristic ways based on an uncoordinated emphasis onagency or communion .An alternative approach to reconcile the four components with personality andself-systems models is to focus on moderators and mediators of the componentassessments. For instance Seligman, (1991) defines an affective/motivationaldimension labeled “learned optimism” that has been independently noted in the moralexemplar literature (e.g., Colby & Damon, 1992; Rule & Bebeau, 2005). It seemsreasonable to expect that measures that capture learned optimism may moderate thelink between processes and moral action . Secondly, we suggest further exploringKegan’s model within a broader range of populations. Bebeau and her colleagueshave demonstrated how measures of identity development have clear implicationsfor understanding how moral motivation becomes integrated into the moral self(Bebeau & Monson, 2011; Rule & Bebeau, 2005). Although this work has focusedon professional populations, the consistent findings supporting a link between thedevelopment of identity and moral motivation indicates that a more representativetest of these claims is warranted. Taken together we see the development of a secondgeneration of research that helps to connect the moral self literature with the keyinsights from Rest’s model.NOTE1The full version of the PROI has two additional dimensions: Agency and Autonomy. These dimensionshave not been emphasized in the literature and are not described here.REFERENCESBandura, A. (2002). Selective moral disengagement in the exercise of moral agency. Journal of MoralEducation, 31(2), 101–119.Bebeau, M.J. (2009a). Enhancing professionalism using ethics education as part of a dental licensingboard’s disciplinary action: Part 1 An evidence-based process. Journal of the American College ofDentists, 76(2), 38–50.65