Morality and Sexual Issues in Older Adolescent Females

Abstract

A follow-up study to Carol Gilligan’s work in female adolescent moral development was conducted in the presentation of a hypothetical moral sexual situation to eight older, culturally diverse adolescent females in their first year of college. The naming of a “Good Friend’s” conflict and the personal moral reasoning of the interviewees were audiotaped, transcribed and analyzed using a sequence of four readings as subscribed by Gilligan and her associates. Examples of Justice reasoning, a Care reasoning, and an Integrated moral reasoning are presented along with suggestions for educators and therapists.

Keywords::

• Moral reasoning adolescent females