Lapsley, Daniel & Narvaez, Darcia. (Eds.) (2004). Moral Development, Self, and Identity. Reviewed by Matthew T. Cornelius, Adams State College

Lapsley, Daniel & Narvaez, Darcia. (Eds.) (2004). Moral Development, Self, and Identity. Mahwah, NJ: Lawerence Erlbaum Associates. Pp. xiii + 358 $79.95 (Hardcover)     ISBN 0-8058-4286-1 Reviewed by Matthew T. Cornelius Adams State College August 4, 2005 In Moral Development, Self, and Identity, Daniel Lapsley and Darcia Narvaez have compiled a collection of articles by various authors summarizing the basis for moral psychology. In each article, the author provides a different perspective of moral development that relates to the development of the self, a just community, cultural identity, social cognition, moral personality, and moral functioning. This collection of writings has helped me understand the correlation between morality and the self. While the book offers an excellent description of moral personality that is thorough and current, it challenged me to take a deeper look at my own moral development (as a teacher, counselor, father, and human being) as well as how to increase the development of morality in others. The editors did an excellent job formulating how moral development of the individual and community takes great power and responsibility. There appears to be three parts illustrating the organizational efforts by the editors in this volume. The first four chapters describe the process of developing a moral personality. The following four chapters detail the danger that exists when a society mistakenly uses the calling card of morality as a vehicle to abuse power and destroy life. The final chapters focus on continued research in the development of morality and identity formation. In the preface, the editors give credit to researcher, Augusto Blasi, for his contribution to moral psychology. Gus Blasi is also given praise for arranging self-awareness around a moral foundation. Mr. Blasi stipulates this is the critical element in the formation of moral identity and behavior. He also contributes an article, “Moral Functioning: Moral Understanding and Personality,” as the final chapter expressing his thanks to his colleagues for support and continuing his research in moral psychology. In addition, he shares and reviews his belief correlating morality and the development of the self; as well as, answering concerns his colleagues have addressed in this volume. In chapters one through thirteen, Blasi’s peers continue the comprehensive account of moral personality. Lawrence Walker of the University of British Columbia composed an article called “Gus in the Gap: Bridging the Judgment – Action Gap in Moral Functioning.” Continuing in Blasi’s research, Mr. Walker was curious why there was such a discrepancy between subjects knowing what is moral and subjects actually behaving morally. Instead of providing individuals with moral dilemmas, Walker used real life scenarios to provide examples of moral personality. In his studies, Walker found a fundamental difference in process between individuals’ awareness to do the right thing and realization of moral obligation. In other words, feeling a sense of personal responsibility and an ethical sense of self develops the consistency between understanding and behaving morally. Walker stressed taking ownership helps build a strong foundation toward change. In this case, a sense of morality becomes a sense of self. Roger Bergman of Creighton University examines in his article “Identity as Motivation: Toward a Theory of Moral Self” the connection between moral development and identity. Bergman provides an excellent synopsis on the evolution of moral psychology. He gives credit to Piaget, Kohlberg, Rest, Damon, Colby, Nucci and Blasi. He attempts to show the progression and similarities of these theories. I was amazed at the simplicity Bergman relates these theorists. However, Bergman assumed his readers would have a strong background in moral psychology filling in the blanks when necessary. Bergman contends motivation to ethically behave exists in connecting moral judgment and action with the sense of self. This motivates the individual to behave ethically due to the need of self-preservation. In chapter three, F Clark Power of the University Notre Dame writes an article called “The Moral Self in Community.” He discussed his research findings in attempts to develop a just community with fellow researchers Kohlberg and Higgins. Anne Higgins introduced me to moral psychology while I attended Fordham University. I was interested to read her involvement in this article. Power and his colleagues contend the markings of a community becoming just is through the personal ownership of rules, norms, and guidelines. This entails the sense that everyone has a voice and is taking an active role in developing the community. Power also contributes his findings on the importance and meaning of moral self-esteem. Power stressed the importance of the process to become morally autonomous; this process helps to create a moral community in which the individual can choose to act ethically. In chapter four, the research continues to show how the experience of community can maintain moral participation from the individual. In the article, “Moral Identity Development and School Attachment” written by Robert Atkins of Temple University and Daniel Hart and Thomas M. Donnelly both of Rutgers University, the authors illustrate the significance of the school environment with the creation of moral identity. In education, teachers become models of behavior, students can discover morality in real life applications, and the school can implement a model for democracy. Atkins, Hart and Donnelly correlate their research with Power stressing the significance of each community member to take an active role in developing a moral environment (democratic way). The middle four chapters resonate a common theme. Each author raises concern for what is considered moral and how a moral society can easily utilize the term morality to condone acts of evil and disregard for life. These chapters provide a different perspective on morality in relation to the individual and community. David Moshman of the University of Nebraska stresses in his article, “False Moral Identity: Self Serving Denial in Maintenance of Moral Self-Conceptions,” ethical action means to hold concern for the welfare of others. However, he contends that the majority holds a false moral identity (people think they are moral agents, and therefore, thinking is enough to be moral). Larry Nucci of the University of Illinois contributes “Reflections on the Moral Self Construct.” Nucci continues the warnings posed by Moshman while providing insight on individuals who prioritize morality as a foundation for their identity. Mordecai Nisan of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem argues in “Judgment and Choice in Moral Functioning” individuals choose to be ethical or immoral; while Bill Puka of Rensselaer Institute defines in his article “Altruism and Character” the distinction between the moral and the immoral person. Each of these articles stress the danger in which morality can be mistaken for self-serving needs. Within the final chapters, contemporary researchers attempt to link moral psychology with other disciplines, in addition to presenting specific reasons for further focus. The editors, Daniel Lapsley and Darcia Narvaez, contribute an article called “A Social-Cognitive Approach to the Moral Personality.” They insist six critical resources develop an individual’s moral growth. The authors write in an easy to understand manner, plus set the stage for continued research in moral personality. In their article “Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen: Moving Beyond the Modal Levels in Normal Development,” Wolfgang Edelstein of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin and Tobias Krettenauer of Homboldt University extend Kohlberg’s research on moral judgment. They expand on how an individual might proceed toward post-formal reasoning and post-conventional moral reasoning. They focus their findings on how important the environment becomes to maturate a person toward these stages. Thomas Wren of Loyola University of Chicago and Carmen Mendoza of Trinity College include an article called “Cultural Identity and Personal Identity: Philosophical Reflections on the Identity Discourse of Social Psychology.” In their work, the authors challenge the idea expressed in earlier chapters that the development and connection between morality and identity occur simply and naturally. They vie that individuals living in multicultural environments are examples of the ever-changing growth of moral and personality. In the commentary “Self in Relationship,” Monika Keller of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin demonstrates how close relationships initiate identity development of adolescents in both Western and Chinese cultures. She also shows how morality formation remains consistently universal but separate from cultural norms. In the final work written by Gertrud Nunner-Winkler of the Max Planck Institute for Psychological Research called “Sociohistoric Changes in the Structure of Moral Motivation,” the author forms an interesting proposal that highlights the significance of society and history. She states that daily life is guided by universal moral principles; through these principles, individuals are motivated to morally behave. This work provides an excellent examination into the relationship between moral development and the maturation of the self. It aids in the moral advancement of the individual leading to social and cultural moral growth. The articles are written at times with dense language; yet, it provides an admirable view of contemporary research and questions concerning moral psychology. The book acts as a great supplement explaining the current ideas of morality and self-growth. The information presented in this book regarding moral development could serve a wide variety of functions. It could be beneficial to school teachers as a teaching tool plus developing their curricula to help form the identity and morality of their students; to community officials searching to improve their populations to be more just; to both school and community counselors working with consumers to increase avenues toward change; to family members struggling with their development as a functional system; to individuals who desire to become more aware of their sense of self; as well as, to those working with the criminal justice system seeking contemporary perspectives on enhancing moral development. About the Reviewer Matthew Cornelius currently works with Southwest Colorado Mental Health in Durango, Colorado as a substance abuse therapist. He directs the adolescent outpatient treatment program. He taught science for nine years throughout the United States in both private and public schools. Copyright is retained by the first or sole author, who grants right of first publication to the Education Review.