Longitudinal Associations Between Moral Disengagement and Social Goals in Elementary School Children

• In Event: Poster Session 20
  In Poster Session: Division E Human Development Poster Session

Abstract

Moral disengagement (e.g., an approving attitude toward the use of aggression) and children’s social goals in peer conflict situations have significant implications for children’s social and school adjustment. However, little is known about how these unique forms of social cognition interact. Applying a social information-processing framework, this study examined moral disengagement as a predictor of changes in children’s social goals. Data were collected on an ethnically-diverse sample of 374 children (Mage = 9.56 years, SDage = 4 months) in the fall of their 4th and 5th grade school years. Results indicate that moral disengagement predicts increases in antisocial goals (i.e., revenge) and decreases in prosocial (i.e., relationship maintenance, avoiding trouble) goals over time. Implications for theory and intervention are discussed.

Authors

• Kari Jeanne Visconti, George Mason University

• Gary W. Ladd

• Becky Kochenderfer-Ladd, Arizona State University - Tempe