Using cinema to enhance moral reasoning and cognitive complexity of Amazonian indigenous leaders

ABSTRACT

Several research studies acknowledge the pedagogical and ethical potential of cinema, as well as its utility for moral education. With this in mind and utilizing a mixed-method approach, this paper presents the qualitative changes in cognitive complexity and moral reasoning observed in a group of Amazonian indigenous adults after their participation in an intercultural moral education program using film discussions. Participants were nine Shipibo-Konibo, Awajún and Asháninka peoples, with formal education, and familiar with cinema, from the Amazonian region of Ucayali, Peru. To assess cognitive complexity, the McDaniel and Lawrence scale was employed, while moral reasoning was evaluated using the Heinz dilemma. Qualitative content analysis revealed a development in cognitive complexity and moral reasoning among certain participants. The results are discussed with an emphasis on aspects of the program that can be replicated when working with Amazonian indigenous peoples.

KEYWORDS:

• Moral reasoning
• cognitive complexity
• cinema
• Amazonian indigenous peoples

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú under [grant number 2019-3-0005].

Notes on contributors

Susana Frisancho

Susana Frisancho PhD. in Developmental Psychology from Fordham University, New York. M.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Educational Psychology from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Full Professor of the Psychology Department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Coordinator of the Research Group on Cognition, Learning and Development of the Psychology Department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Her research includes topics such as moral and cognitive development of Amazonian indigenous people, the teaching of citizenship and moral education in school.

Jorge Villalba

Jorge Villalba Garcés holds a degree in Educational Psychology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), and is a member of the Research Group on Cognition, Learning and Development of the Psychology Department of the same university. Additionally, he holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy with a specialization in ethics and politics from the Antonio Ruiz de Montoya University. His research focuses on cognitive and moral development, as well as the relationship between psychology of moral development and moral philosophy.

Enrique Delgado

Enrique Delgado Doctor in Philosophy and Master in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (Universidad Complutense de Madrid). Degree in Psychology and professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. Member of the Research Group on Cognition, Learning and Development. His research interests include moral education, indigenous peoples, gender and psychoanalysis.

Joseph Medrano

Joseph Medrano Psychology graduate from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú with research interests in learning, moral development and motivation.