Damon William, Colby Anne
New Dir Child Adolesc Dev. 2013 Winter;2013(142):13-25. doi: 10.1002/cad.20046.
This chapter uses moral psychology to illustrate why exemplar methods are essential for building a valid, complete understanding of key domains of human development. Social psychological, economic, and biological-evolutionary paradigms for studying morality rely on samples drawn from the general population. This research reveals a bleak picture of morality, highlighting its irrational, self-interested, externally controlled aspects. If the subjects in these studies are confused, pliable, or profit-maximizing, these studies conclude that people in general are morally irrational and self-interested. In contrast, studies that investigate morally exceptional individuals reveal a more thoughtful, ideal-driven, self-reflective, creative version of moral functioning. Any account that neglects this high-functioning segment of the range is seriously misleading and cannot provide the basis for aspiration or education.
本章运用道德心理学来说明为什么范例方法对于构建对人类发展关键领域的有效、全面理解至关重要。研究道德的社会心理学、经济学和生物进化范式依赖于从普通人群中抽取的样本。这项研究揭示了一幅黯淡的道德图景，突出了其非理性、利己主义、外部控制的方面。如果这些研究中的受试者困惑、易受影响或追求利益最大化，这些研究就会得出结论，认为一般人在道德上是非理性和利己的。相比之下，对道德上卓越的个体进行调查的研究则揭示了一种更具思想性、理想驱动、自我反思、创造性的道德功能版本。任何忽视这一高功能范围的描述都会严重误导人，并且无法为抱负或教育提供基础。
