Nick Schultz

3-18-2015
UWRT 2101

Academic Article 1:
According to social learning theory the childs acquisition of adult
moral standards is, to a considerable extent, a gradual process of
imitating the observable values and behaviors of others. (cf. Bandura
& Walters 1963)(261). This is still considered to be the best explanation
of how children socially learn morals, but. Piaget (1932) argues that
The development of the childs moral judgment goes through a
necessary sequence of stages in which the child must resolve a moral
dilemma by progressively constructing his own ethical position. (261)
In 1963 Bandura and McDonald compared and contrasted these
two views about child development and their findings ended up giving
Piagets theory some serious problems. (261)
Analysis:
Both theories have some good points and can both be argued as
being correct but there are some major red flags with Piagets theory. I
mean we covered Bandura & Walters theory in both sociology and

psychology this year meaning that their theory is more widely

accepted than Piagets.
I think once the reader looks over this article and tries to think back to
their family and who in their family was their role model growing up
they will start to see a lot of moral similarities between the two of
them. The reader will have to read this article slowly and they may
have to google a few terms for them to understand the arguments and
analysis fully but I dont think it will be very hard for them to
comprehend the article as a whole.
P.A. Cowan, J. Langer, J Heavenrich, and M. Nathanson. Social
Learning and Piagets Theory of Moral Development (1969) Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology 1969 Vol.11, No. 3, 261-274
These noteworthy sociologists and psychologists where doing
research from the 1930s 1970. This amass of data and theories were
compared, contrasted, edited, and published in 1969 by P.A. Cowan, J.
Langer, J Heavenrich, and M. Nathanson. Although you do not hear of
Piagets theory too often now a days it was never really disproven
although several others have theories that contradict his theory Piaget
was never proven wrong.

This article is supported by a vast number of creditable sociologists

and psychologists work the names of which can be found on page
(274).