Defining features of moral sensitivity and moral motivation: pathways to moral reasoning in medical students1

Abstract

Kohlberg's theory of moral development explores the roles of cognition and emotion but focuses primarily on cognition. Contemporary post-formal theories lead to the conclusion that skills resulting from cognitive-affective integration facilitate consistency between moral judgement and moral behaviour. Rest's four-component model of moral development delineates these skills specifically. The components, moral motivation, moral sensitivity, moral reasoning and moral character, operate as multidimensional processes that facilitate moral development and subsequently promote moral behaviour. The relationships between these components have been relatively unexplored, thereby missing the opportunity to unpack the processes underlying moral growth and development. In this study, moral motivation (spirituality), moral sensitivity (postformal skills) and moral reasoning are operationalized to examine the mediational effects of moral sensitivity of medical students. In the complex moral environment of medical students opportunities arise to question values and develop cognitive-affective skills, among them spirituality and post-formal thinking which are linked to increases in post-conventional moral reasoning. The models tested indicate that moral sensitivity mediates the relationship between moral motivation and moral reasoning.

University teachers’ perceptions and evaluations of ethics instruction in the public relations curriculum

“…Moral character is the ability to remain moral in spite of difficult circumstances, whereas moral reasoning involves choosing action that is the most morally appropriate (Morton, Worthley, Testerman, & Mahoney, 2006). Participants of the present study were also explicitly asked to evaluate the importance of five goals of ethics education (Table 1), and they ranked such a goal as cultivating moral character as the least important objective of ethics instruction.…”

Validity and Reliability of a Turkish Version of the Modified Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire for Student Nurses

“…Moral sensitivity is important for student nurses to use in ethical reasoning and decision making (Morton et al, 2006;Park et al, 2012). Nursing education is based on an education system involving a nursing student in a special environment under the guidance of an instructor.…”

“…Moral stress requires being aware of what the true course of action should be but failing to take it due to institutional limitations (Comrie, 2012;Elçigil et al, 2011;Lützén, Blom, Ewalds-Kvist, & Winch, 2010). Ethical sensitivity starts with the awareness of an ethical dilemma or a moral problem, and it includes commenting on the situation and deciding on the true course of action to solve the problem (Ersoy & Gündogmuş, 2003;Morton, Worthley, Testerman, & Mahoney, 2006).…”

Clinical teaching with emotional intelligence: A teaching toolbox

“…[658] These abilities are the foundation for educating professionalism and moral sensitivity[59606162] and are in direct relationship with interpersonal and communication skills,[63] leading to increased trust in clinical interactions. [64]…”