A Survey of Research on Moral Development in Japan

Abstract

This article is a selective review of recent psychological research on the moral development of Japanese children and adolescents from a cultural point of view. The author begins with a short introduction to the characteristics of Japanese society suggested by social scientists. Based on the findings of current educational surveys, the problems of children and adolescents are discussed. Studies that use cognitive developmental approaches in researching moral development in Japan are also reviewed. Some of the findings support the characteristics of Japanese morality in the framework of this approach, but several studies suggest exceptions. The exceptions de rive from Japanese beliefs concerning nature, the social world, and the nature of the universe. Suggestions are made for future research.