Variables in Social Cognitive Development: Moral Judgment,Role-taking,Cognitive Processes,and Self-concept in Delinquents and Nondelinquents

Abstract

The purpose of the present project was to replicate past research showing delinquents lagging behind nondelinquents on moral judgment, role-taking, and logical cognitive tasks, and to provide instructions on moral judgment and role-taking tasks to stimulate delinquents' performance. The instructions were intended to investigate whether delinquents' inferior social cognitive performances may be due to a structural deficit, or whether they do not evoke skills they possess or not utilize skills they have the capacity to possess. Finally, since self-concept could play a role in monitoring cognitive activity, a self-concept as a learner questionnaire was administered to assess any differences between groups. Delinquents displayed poorer performances than nondelinquents on moral reasoning and logical cognitive abilities, but not on role-taking. Instructions to enhance moral reasoning improved all participants' scores. However, the overall inferior performance by delinquents on moral reasoning appeared to be due to structural deficit. Delinquents' self-concept as a learner scores were similar to nondelinquents despite their lower performance on other measures, suggesting they may not be as aware of their cognitive capabilities.

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