Developing and testing a teaching intermediate concept measure of moral functioning: a preliminary reliability and validity study

ABSTRACT

The neo-Kohlbergian approach to moral reasoning development maintains that intermediate concepts lie between bedrock moral schemas and professional codes of ethics and deal with issues of confidentiality, competence, informed consent, allocation of resources and professional autonomy (Rest et. al, 1999b). Intermediate concepts provide concrete guides for behavior, they contrast general moral schemas that are concerned with issues of fairness, justice and equality. This paper outlines the development and testing of a prototype Intermediate Concept Measure for teachers (TICM). Results indicate that the TICM has respectable psychometric properties and assesses a construct in the moral domain.

KEYWORDS:

• Moral reasoning
• teaching
• intermediate concepts
• neo-Kohlbergian approach

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

¹ The Center for the Study of Ethical Development was established in the early 1970’s by James Rest at the University of Minnesota. The main research of the Center is focused on the Defining Issues Test, a measure of moral judgment development and other research tools such as intermediate concept measures. This has resulted in a wider conception of moral development that includes moral functioning a professional context.