Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2016, Psychology/Developmental

The present study examined the relations between Theory of Mind and moral development as they impact specific aggressive behaviors and prosociality in preschoolers. Social-Cognitive and Social-Cognitive Domain Theory suggest that behavior should be considered a function of personal factors and environment, whereby each of these three facets impact and interact with one another, especially during the development of moral understanding. The current conceptualized hypothesized that moral judgment would predict socio-moral cognition, and – separately – that inhibitory control would predict Theory of Mind; additionally, a moderation of socio-moral cognition was posed on the expected relation from Theory of Mind to social outcomes. One hundred seventy-six preschoolers (Ma=53.3 months) completed measures of inhibitory control, moral understanding, morally imbedded Theory of Mind, verbal skills, and a traditional Theory of Mind battery consisting of five tasks. In addition, teacher- and child self-report data were collected for four specific aspects of aggressive behavior, and prosociality. The proposed model was a good fit to the data using teacher-report data. Results indicate that for children high in mental state understanding, applied moral cognitive development influences teacher-rated prosociality, such that those who were better able to understand another's motive tended to be less prosocial—for those without motive understanding, there was no relation from ToM on prosocial behavior. Implications are discussed in regards to theoretical development and previous empirical findings.

Committee: Marie Tisak (Advisor); John Tisak (Committee Member); Carolyn Tompsett (Committee Member); Susannah Cleveland (Other) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Psychology; Social Psychology

MEd, University of Cincinnati, 2001, Education : Educational Foundations

This thesis analyzes the major theories of moral development and how they apply to public schooling in America. The importance of morality among children is discussed as an eminent need. Social Learning, Psychoanalytical, and Cognitive Developmental theories are discussed. Because it is contrary to the purpose of studying morality to have so many theories, an integrated theory is described. The practical application of this theory for American public schools is presented in the format of a presentation. This presentation is intended to be a professional development seminar for educators. Many examples of implementation are given, both school-wide and classroom specific, which reach across curriculums.

Committee: Dr. Suzanne Soled (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Sociology of

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Educational Theory and Practice

The professional literature of the Holocaust is replete with research, references, and recommendations that a study of the Holocaust, particularly for middle and high school students, is most effective when combined with an extensive use of Holocaust literature. Scholars and educators alike advocate the use of first-person testimony whenever and wherever possible in order to personalize the Holocaust lessons for the student. This study explore students' responses to first-person Holocaust narratives through the lens of reader response theory in order to determine if prolonged engagement with the literature enhances affective learning. This study also explores the students' sense of personal ethics and their perceptions on moral decision-making. By examining their responses during prolonged engagement with first-person narratives, herein referred to as witness narratives, and evaluating these responses based on moral development theories developed by Kohlberg and Gilligan, the study also seeks to determine whether there are significant differences in the nature of response that can be attributed to gender. Lastly, the study explores students' views on racism, and how or if an extended lesson on the Holocaust causes affective change in students' perceptions of racism and their role in combating it within our society.

Committee: Janet Hickman (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Language and Literature