Moral Reasoning in Gifted and Average I.Q. Third and Fourth Graders [microform] / Susan M. Sager and Susan H. Workman

In an examination of the relationship between academic giftedness and the development of moral reasoning, six story pairs varying intentionality with either personal injury or property damage were group administered to 104 third and fourth graders, 52 of whom had been previously identified as gifted. Results failed to demonstrate any significant overall effect on moral reasoning for identification of giftedness although two story pairs did indicate some significant differences. A significant developmental difference was demonstrated only in the moral judgments of fourth graders in the story pair where accidental personal injury is compared to disobedient property damage. (More gifted fourth graders made judgments based on intentionality than did average IQ fourth graders.) Advanced moral reasoning by gifted students was not evidenced in the findings. (Author/CL)