“The adolescent mind is essentially a mind or moratorium, a psychosocial stage between childhood and adulthood, and between the morality learned by the child, and the ethics to be developed by the adult."
Erik Erikson
The discourse in society, academia, and politics around early adolescents' moral behaviour is frequently equivocal due to many different social and contextual factors such as cultural differences, shifting moral standards, a lack of consensus, peer and parental relationships and multiple political ideologies. Adolescents' moral development can be described as the process through which they learn to distinguish between right and wrong, which serves as the foundation for their sense of justice. Adolescence is a period in which these young minds begin to view the world in an idealistic, logical, and abstract way. Adolescent cognition is characterised by a considerable increase in the capacity for abstract thought and reasoning. This is consistent with Piaget's (1954) theory that young people are no longer bound to actual and concrete experiences and acts for their thoughts.
Given these developments, it is surprising that young adolescents’ moral belief systems have yet to be addressed comprehensively. Accordingly, the primary objective of this blog is to draw together different intersections of moral development in adolescence and its effect during the era of social media.
Morality and Adolescence
To understand how morality affects adolescents, theories of cognitive development and moral socialisation have concentrated on moral cognitions and socialisation agents, particularly parental influences. According to a widely accepted view, parents, peers, and social institutions have a crucial role in passing on moral and societal beliefs to their children, which significantly shapes their personalities. Children are frequently taught to uphold righteous behaviour through adherence to cultural and religious beliefs; normally, they are taught to do so without challenging decisions made on their behalf. By establishing ideals, educational institutions also greatly contribute to moral growth.
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development outlines how adolescents' moral reasoning changes as they mature; the impact of peer pressure on adolescent moral development is one of its notable viewpoints. Interactions with peers have the power to either confirm or challenge teenage moral convictions. Together, these developments offer insightful understandings of the intricate process by which young people build their moral foundations, guiding their moral choices and deeds as they confront the difficulties of adolescence.
Adolescents and Social Media: Navigating Moral Complexities and Impact of Popular Culture
A further form of moral dissonance is introduced by the media's growing popular culture influence, which may be confusing for the younger population. The multitude of contradictory signals that permeate popular culture calls for a thoughtful application of personal decision-making, which frequently lacks a clear ethical reference point. Adolescents’ knowledge of content and skill development heavily influence how these moral judgements develop. It becomes more and more clear that we need to broaden our educational focus beyond only developing skills.
Through the advancement of artificial intelligence, our society is becoming more complex and technologically sophisticated, and as a result, adolescents are constantly faced with moral decisions and moral quandaries. They struggle with an essential question: where can they turn for advice in this quickly shifting environment? Social institutions are experiencing significant pressure to establish educational environments that delve deeply into the ethical challenges confronted by young adolescents today, particularly those arising from the proliferation of social media platforms. Adolescents have the opportunity to naturally engage in reflection and conversation in these settings, which aims to promote an open discourse about moral convictions and conundrums. As adolescents attempt to negotiate the complicated ethical landscape of the modern world, this interaction frequently centres on themes relating to identity, particularly personal and moral beliefs such as positive values, social competencies, social awareness, learning commitment, empowerment, and self-awareness.
The intricate interplay between beliefs, norms, and perceptions forms a moral environment deeply rooted in their digital and personal surroundings inevitably shaping the behaviours of young adolescents. Consequently, it becomes evident that there exist multiple moral cultures within the environment of adolescence. At the individual level, comprehending the diverse contexts in which adolescents operate—be it at home, school, or online—along with recognizing the various agents of influence, including biological factors, family dynamics, peer interactions, and media exposure, is essential for grasping their complexity. Adolescents must navigate these distinct moral cultures within their respective communities. These moral cultures encompass the demands of their families, the influence of peers, and the expectations imposed by broader society, such as educational systems and the dynamics of social media platforms. Each of these digital cultures introduces varying norms, beliefs, and values that significantly impact their moral decision-making.
Prioritizing the development of virtuous personality traits and critical thinking skills among students becomes paramount. To transform young individuals into democratic, tolerant, and compassionate global citizens in the age of artificial intelligence and social media, a comprehensive strategy both at the micro and macro level is imperative. It involves implementing theories and models of adolescents' moral development that consider the myriad levels of influence and diverse contexts within this realm. Enhancing moral development within an educational context can be achieved by incorporating diverse elements like sensitivity, moral reasoning, moral motivation, and moral character. One illustrative approach is drawing insights from the Bhagavad Gita, an Indian framework for moral growth, which emphasizes concepts like Karma-Yoga. Alternatively, moral education studies can be applied to help students navigate and resolve real-world conflicts more effectively. The relevance of research and policymaking concerning adolescents' moral development hinges on our explicit acknowledgement of these intricate and evolving issues in the digital landscape.
Jasleen Kaur
