Abstract
Moral quotient as a mental capacity to
determine means of people principles that ought to be applied on the values of
goals and individual behaviour. Moral quotient is more fundamental than emotional
quotient. Moral quotient as the ability to distinguish the right
and the wrong is in accordance with the principles of people’s lives.
Therefore, moral quotient is the ability to differentiate the right and the
wrong based on a strong belief regarding ethics and apply it in actions. The
development of moral quotient is a form of individual evaluation for what is
right and what is wrong, and moral involves individual demand over the rules
and it will have a say on individual behavior toward other people.
Keywords:
constructing, quotient, moral, ethics, and action.
I.
INTRODUCTION
Moral quotient is the
aptitude of understanding the right and the wrong things. It means having a
strong belief of ethics and acting based on that belief, thus, people will
behave correctly and honorably. This most important quotient embraces the main
character, such as the ability to understand other people’s distress and not
act fiercely; control the thrust and put off the gratification; listen to the
various parties before giving the estimation; accept and appreciate
diversities; be able to understand unethical choices; be able to empathize,
fight for justice; and show love and respect to other people.
Those things are the main characters that will mould the youths
to become kind-hearted, have strong character, and be a good citizen. We can
see how young people are increasingly immersed in a wide range of serious
issues since they never learn moral quotient. By the weak instinct, fragile
self-control, lacking moral sensibility, and the improper belief, then they
face many detentions. Although the cause of the decline of morality is awfully
complex, there is a fact which cannot be denied: moral environment where they
are raised these days is envenoming their moral quotient. Why can it be like
that? First, some critical social
factors constructing moral character slowly begins to decay, which are parents’
supervision, model of moral behaviour, spiritual and religious education, good
relationship with older people, particular schools, evident norms, society
support, stability and the right parenting. Second,
children keep getting inputs which contradict the norms we develop. Those two factors
contribute to the defect of our children’s morality in conjunction with
disappearance of their plainness.
The challenge is getting bigger because those bad
influences come up from various sources which are easy to adapt by children. TV
programs, movies, video games, music, and even advertisements inflict the bad
impact for their morality because those things show cynicism, harassment,
materialism, free sex, and violence.
Likewise, bad things on the internet are shocking: porn,
robbery and murder, satanic, pedophilia, and so many firebrand sites that show
hatred that can even wriggle out of the best filter system. Of course the
popular media is not the only thing that can give bad impact; whoever or
whatever contradicts the belief of morality is the threat, including peers and
older people.
The fact is that the negative impact is so entrenched in
our culture, so that it’s almost impossible to deter our children from such
influences. Though we have tried to
restrict or prohibit that use of media at home, once they go out of home, they still
can get it everywhere. That’s why constructing moral quotient is very important
to carry out, so that conscience of children can distinguish the right and the
wrong thing, with an eye to be able to prevent bad influence from the outside.
Moral quotient becomes the strong muscles needed to counter bad tension and
supply the kids then ability to act without any help from the parents.
Moral quotient as revealed by Michele Borba Ed. D.
(2008), created by seven major benefactions, which are: empathy, conscience,
self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance, and justice helping children face
the challenges and ethics pressure that cannot be prevented in their lives in
the future. All of them can be taught, imitated, realised, as well as
encouraged, so that it can be achieved by the children.
First,
empathy is the core of moral emotion helping children get on others’ feelings.
This wisdom makes them sensitive to the others’ needs and feelings, encourage
them to help people who are in difficulty, and demand them to treat people with
love. The strong moral emotion encourage the children to act right because they
can see others’ difficulty so that prevent them doing the actions that can harm
or hurt other people.
Second,
conscience is scruple helping children choose the right way rather than the
wrong one and be in the moral path; that makes them feel guilty when they
digress from the proper path. This virtue fortifies children from the bad influences
and makes them be able to take a right action while being tempted to do the
opposite. This virtue is the foundation for the development of honesty,
responsibility, and high self-integrated.
Third,
self-control helps children chokes back the thrust inside and think before they
do something, so that they do the right things, and less likely to set their
hand on something that will bring about the bad impacts. This virtue helps them
be independent because they know that they can control their own actions. This
nature is able to eliminate the desire of contenting themselves and also
stimulate the awareness of concerning with others’ needs.
Fourth,
respect encourages children to behave well and respect other people. This
virtue directs them to treat people as they want to be treated, so it prevents
them to be rude, unfair, and hostile. If children are used to being respectful
toward people, they will have an eye for people’s rights and feelings; as the
result, they also will respect their self.
Fifth,
kindness helps children be able to show their concern for the welfare and
feelings of other people. By developing this virtue, they will compassionate and
not concern about themselves too much, and also realize with the goodwill as a
genuine action. Kindness makes children think about others’ needs more, show concern,
give a hand to those who need, and protect those who are in difficulties or
pains.
Sixth,
tolerance makes children be able to appreciate diversity of the quality inside
other people, open up to the new viewpoint and belief, and respect other people
without discriminating ethnic, gender, appearance, culture, belief, capability,
or sexual orientation. This virtue gets the children treat other people well and fully understand them, go against
hostility, violence, bigotry, and appreciate other people based on their
character.
Seventh,
as a parent you need to give guidance to your children, so that they can treat
other people well and impartially. Thus, they will obey the rules, be willing
to take turns and share, likewise, listen to every side openly before giving
any judgment. Since this virtue escalates children’s moral sensitivity, they
will also be encouraged to defend those who are treated unfairly and demand to
treat everyone equally regardless of tribe, nationality, culture, economic
status, ability or belief.
Constructing
moral quotient gives a blue print step by step to increase moral capacity of
the children based on the principles of ethics of those seven virtues. Each
time a child succeeds in mastering one virtue, his/her moral quotient
increases, and he/she is one step higher to the level of morality.
II.
Discussion
2.1 The History of Development
of Moral Quotient
Moral development is one of
important things in children personal and social development. Moral development
originally entered into one field of ethics, but around 1930 a research about
phenomenon of morality in America and Europe was conducted. Then in 1950 the
concern about moral began to encourage its development of study about moral.
Coles (2001) defined moral as: The
capacity to understand right from wrong, it means to have strong ethical
conviction and to act on them so that one’s behaves in the right and honorable
way. This wonderful aptitude encompasses such essential life characteristic as
the ability to recognize some one’s pain and to stop oneself from acting on
cruel intentions; to control one’s impulse and delay gratifications; to listen
openly to all sides before judging; to accept and appreciate differences; to
stand up against injustice, and to treat others with compassion and respect. It
can be interpreted as a moral that: The capacity to get on the right and the
wrong things, which means having strong ethical belief and acting on it, so
that people behave in the in an honored and right way. This good aptitude
involves the characteristics of important life like the ability to recognize
someone’s debilities, and to prevent from doing bad things; to control
someone’s impulse and tardiness of gift-giving; to listen to people openly
before judging; to accept and appreciate diversity; and treat other people with
love and respect.
Whereas, Borba (2008) emphasized
that moral quotient is defined as the ability of interpreting the right and the
wrong things and having strong stance to think and behave in accordance with
moral values. On the other side, Lennick & Kiel (2005) explained that moral
quotient is a mental capacity to determine the way of the principles of people
that should be applied on the value of aims and individual behavior. Moral
quotient is more fundamental than emotional quotient. Moral quotient is defined
as the ability to distinguish the right and the wrong that corresponds to the
principles of people’s lives.
From those opinions mentioned
above, it can be summed up that the development of moral quotient is a phase of
individual evaluation over the rules and it will affect on individual behavior
of others.
2.2 The Approach of Development
of Moral Quotient
The
approach of development moral quotient can be reviewed from three perspectives
of theory as follows:
1) Psychoanalysis
Theory
Freud as the fuse of this theory clarified someone’s
development into three areas that are sequentially, i.e. das es, das ich, and das
ueber ich. Das es is the first development that leads to impulses of lust,
while das ich is the development keeping
touch with the reality to be coordinated. Then the last one is das ueber ich. It’s moral development where
the norm is viewed as an agency that has been internalized and projected by the
environment.
2) Cognitive
Theory
The approach of cognitive theory emphasizes on the
definition and understanding, where Piaget had done so many researches on this
issue. Piaget (Suparno, 2001) stated that, to develop moral on children can be
started from rules made in games. In that games, a kid can learn to respect,
appreciate others. The level of moral development according to Piaget, namely, first, morality heteronomous stage (absolute phase) is an ability to understand
moral issues, such as lie, robbery, punishment, and justice at the age of 4-7.
Justice and rules are conceived as the nature of world that cannot be changed
and out of humans’ control. Children will live up to the rules as something
that cannot be changed and parents, teachers or government is the authority
that has to be obeyed to avoid punishment, so that moral is indicated as external
object that isn’t allowed to change.
Second, transition stage (realistic phase) is the phase that shows manner
between hetenomous morality and antomous
morality. A kid can adjust himself to avoid rejection from others. In this
phase, children will see the authority as they are. Here, they will leave
unilateral respect to authority, for example their parents and they will
develop respect to their peers. Third, antonomus
morality, the stage which is more complex than two stages before that
exists in children aged ten years and over. Then this Piaget theory was relied
upon by Kohlberg to be a better theory. Kohlberg divided morality development into
three phases, each of which has two different stages, namely:
(1)
Pre conventional Reasoning
A kid will base
him/herself on objects outside the individual as a measure of right and wrong.
He/she will interpret the right and the wrong based on the consequences of
actions of hedonistic form of punishment: a. stage 1: punishment and obedience
orientation. It is an orientation of moral development emphasizing on
punishment and the level of compliance. An action said to be true if someone is
not punished and wrong if he/she gets punished. One has to obey the more
powerful authority and a kid has to obey his/her parents because he/she is told
to be obedient. In this stage children will obey or demand to avoid
punishments; b. stage 2: individualism and purpose are the orientation of moral
development counting heavily on individualism and objectives. Children will be
obedient because they feel that by being obedient they will get something they
want (benefits for them). What is true for them is something considered to be
beneficial. Besides, in this stage moral is based on benefits and
self-interest. In this stage, a kid will be conformity to get presents and
regarded by others; c. stage 3: interpersonal norm, is a stage focusing on
interpersonal norms. One appreciates truth, care, and loyalty toward others a
cornerstone of moral consideration. Children often adopt the moral standard of
their parents and look forward appreciation from them as good children. So that
they will judge something is good if they can please others and regarded as
good as a nice kid with that is expected by parents or surroundings. In this
stage children will be in conformity to avoid disapproval and be endeared by
others; d. stage 4: social system morality, in this stage thing that works is
social moral system. It means a kid sees social rules as something that have to
be kept. One is considered to have high moral standard if he does his tasks. He
thus preserves rules and social system. And the consideration taken is based on
understanding of social rules, obligation, punishment and justice. In this
stage, children will be in conformity to maintain systems of social rules existing
in a common life; e. stage 5: social construction or utility versus individual
right, in this stage, there is the understanding of the rules with controls in
this stage or agreement between someone and other people. Thus, relative rules
and values as well as standard of every person are different. Someone is
convinced that rules and law are important but they can be changed without
decreasing the values of them. In this stage conformity is carried out because
it fulfills collective agreements existing in social rules; and f. stage 6: universal
ethical principles, if rules and norms are subjective, then so are the limits.
Someone develops the standard of moral based on human rights universally, and when
he faces conflict between law and conscience, then, he would follow his conscience
albeit risky for himself. In this stage conformity is carried out not because
of instruction or norms from the outside but process of internalization because
of belief to do it.
(2) Conventional Reasoning
This stage bases on
social expectation which is something considered right if it is in accordance
with the regulations in society. So, the concept in the matter of good and bad
things is based on the norms in society.
3)
Learning theory
In this theory it is
stated that all of behavior is one thing learned. This theory refuses behavior
as manifestation of nature. Because if what is good in society certainly is not
necessarily good for other communities. This theory states that conscience is
one system of norm which has been internalized into private property. It is
intended that someone will keep doing norms even if there is no control from
outside. If previously he did something based on reward or punishment from outside,
it is now diverted inside. Thus, norms that have been internalized make someone
sure to act according to what should be done.
The
development of moral quotient in this learning theory observes the phenomenon
of conscience through questions about reaction to the offense and defense
against temptation. An acceptance of parents to their children and full gift of
love will develop and form good conscience. From the given consistency,
children will learn moral behavior consistently and not depend on the situation.
And from the comparative study it is shown that morality is a statement of the
need for order and balance, as well as an effort towards giving meaning despite
there is historical, social, and individual change.
According
to Kohlberg (Santo, 1995), most of people do not reach the stage of
post-conventional reasoning or experience delays in achieving it due to
cultural factors. Based on his research, 10% of American teenagers attain the
stage of this post-conventional reasoning at the age of 16. Then Kohlberg added
that moral development can be stimulated by moral education. But what has been
explained by Piaget and Kohlberg regarding the development of moral quotient
started from childhood is different from what has been stated by Furter (1965).
In the review of his phenomenological, Furter explained it in three ways,
namely:
(1)
The real moral behavior is emerging in adolescence.
(2)
Adolescence as the period of youth is something that has to be
internalized to attain the autonomous moral behavior. So that the teenagers can
adopt moral value in their surrounding as personal value.
(3)
The existence of youth is moral problem and has to be seen as concerned
with values. So that not only teenagers does get the definition of values but
also they are able to do it.
And
also Furter explained that the development of moral quotient very concerns
about the development of cognition and social cognition. The development of
cognition is considered as one of the absolute prerequisite for the development
of social cognition, while development of social cognition is the absolute
requisite for moral development. In other words, if a person has barriers in
the development of cognition and social, it can be inferred that he is also hampered
in his moral development. On the other hand, Berns (2007) explained some
theories of moral quotient and classified them into three components, namely:
(a) Affective component/emotional
moral (moral feeling), this component was developed by Hoffman, and the
examples are guilt, shame, and empathy.
(b) Cognitive component (moral
reasoning), this component was developed Piaget and Kohlberg, where someone who
has moral quotient can be seen from the way he understands the rules,
distinguishes the right and the wrong, be able to accept other people’s point of
view and take good decisions.
(c) Behavioral component (moral
action), this component was developed by Eisenberg and Fabes, where moral
quotient can be seen from someone’s ability to respond harassment coming to
stick to the rules, social behavior, self-control by the encouragement that
appears.
2.3 Constructing Moral Quotient
Martin Hoffman (2000), a renowned
expert in the development of moral, believes that children develop their
empathy in some stages. Started from egocentric stage, self-centered, views that
always think about themselves until the stage where they not only care about
others. Those stages include:
Stage 1: General Empathy (the first month of birth)
A kid cannot make a clear
demarcation between himself and his environment, so he cannot understand
others’ misery because they consuder it as a part of him. For example: “A
six-month-old baby hears other babies crying and then they cry too.”
Stage 2: Egocentric Empathy (starting from 1 year old)
The reaction of a kid toward
other children who are in pain slowly begins to change. He now understands that
inconvenience of other people is no longer their part of him. For example: “A
two-year-old kid is seeing his mom crying then he is sitting next to her, and
gently stroking his mom’s hands.”
Stage 3: Emotional Empathy (The first years of school)
At the age of about two or three
years, a child begins to develop the ability to portray someone else. He
recognizes that someone’s feeling might be different from his that could very
well determine the sources of the suffering of others and he figures out the
simple way to give a help and shows his support. For example: “You look sad.
Your bike is broken, you can ride mine instead.”
Stage 4:
Cognitive Empathy (First years of Elementary School, started from six years
old)
In this stage a kid is able to understand the problems
from the viewpoint of others, so there will be an enhancement in his effort to
support and help the needs of others. His ability to use language to help
others also rises rapidly. For example: “That old woman seems to need help to
go on the elevator, thought Kelly; then she held the door of the elevator, so
that that old woman can get in safely.”
Stage 5:
Abstract Empathy (Last years of childhood, age ten to 12)
In this stage a kid can broaden his empathy over
things they know personally and directly observe society he has not met yet.
For example: “Indians look starving. If I donate my money, they may feel
better.”
I.
Conclusion
Based on some explanations mentioned above, it can be
inferred:
1.1 Moral quotient is the ability of someone to
distinguish the right and the wrong based on the strong belief toward ethics
and apply it in actions. The development of moral quotient is a form of
individual evaluation on what is right and what is wrong and moral involves individual
acceptance on the rules and it will take effect on individual behavior toward
others.
1.2 Moral quotient is built on seven main virtues, namely:
empathy, conscience, self-control, respect, kindness, tolerance, and justice
helping children face the challenges and ethics pressures that cannot be
avoided in their future. All of those virtues can be taught, exemplified,
disenchanted, and encouraged, so they can be attained by children.
1.3 The approach of moral quotient can be seen through
psychoanalysis, cognitive theory and learning theory.
1.4 How to build moral quotient includes: general empathy,
egocentric, emotion, cognitive, and abstract empathy.
Bibliography
Andra L. Cole & J. Gary Knowles (Eds.) (2001).Lives in Context: The Art of Life History Research. Walnut Creek, CA:
AltaMira Press.
Borba,Michele Ed.D.(2008). Membangun
Kecerdasan Moral.Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
Doug Lennick & Fred Kiel.(2005). Moral Intellegence; Enhancing Business
Performance & Leadership Success.Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Martin Hoffman. (2000). Empathy and Moral Development: Implication For Caring and Justice. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Santo, John de.(1995). Tahap-tahap Perkembangan Moral.Lawrence Kohlberg.Yogyakarta:
Kanisius.
Suparno, Paul. (2001). Teori Perkembangan Kognitif Jean
Piaget. Yogyakarta: Kanisius.
ABOUT WRITERS
Full name : Prof. Dr.H. Endang
Komara, M.Si
Place and
date of birth :
Purwakarta, July 19, 1964
Last
Education : Doctor,
University of Padjadjaran
Occupation
: Lecturer on
Master of Social Science Education of STKIP Pasundan Cimahi
Home Address : Jl. Jati Indah IV
No. 6, Kelurahan Gumuruh
Kecamatan Batununggal Kota Bandung 40264
Campus
Address : Jl. Permana No.
32B Cimahi, Telp. 022 6628311
Bandung, February 18, 2017
Prof.
Dr. H. Endang Komara, M.Si
