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Are Cultural Values Predictors of Moral Reasoning in African American Adolescents?

University of Virginia

Robert J. Jagers

Howard University

This study explored the effect of cultural orientation on African American adolescent moral reasoning. Because African communal values are cornerstones of African American communities and related concepts such as perspective-taking and social relationships influence morality, African cultural values were expected to positively predict moral reasoning in the youth. Individualistic values were expected to negatively predict moral reasoning. Fifty 13- and 14-year old African American male and female adolescents completed sociomoral reasoning and cultural orientation questionnaires. Pearson correlations, ANOVAs, and standard multiple regressions were conducted. As hypothesized, the African values of spirituality, communalism, and affect positively correlated with moral reasoning. Communalism, affect, and the Anglocultural value of interpersonal competition positively predicted moral reasoning. The findings suggested that communal values positively influence the development of African American youth.

Key Words: culture • cultural values • morality • moral reasoning • African American • adolescents

Journal of Black Psychology, Vol. 29, No. 1, 102-118 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0095798402239231


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