Developmental Stages of Age and Moral Reasoning as Predictors of Juvenile Delinquents' Behavioral Intention to Steal Clothing

Bibliographic Data

ID6188523
AuthorsWilliam Scott Forney (University of North Texas, corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume34
Issue2
Pages110-126
Publication date2005-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFamily and Consumer Sciences Research Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1077-727X • E-ISSN: 1552-3934
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1177/1077727x05280666
OpenAlexW2009382249
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited12

This study explored juvenile delinquents' moral reasoning and behavioral intention to steal clothing using age group and the aligned theories of planned behavior and cognitive developmental moralization. Participants (n = 100) were preteen and teen first-time theft/shoplifting offenders participating in a diversion program aimed at preventing future offenses. Factor analysis revealed three strongly correlated dimensions of moral reasoning: risk and need (preconventional ethics), and peers (conventional ethics). Multiple regressions predicted positive moral reasoning that justified stealing clothing for risk, need, and peers by preteens but not teens. Risk and need, but not peers or age group, predicted behavioral intention to steal clothing. Adevelopmental shift existed from preteens to teens in their moral reasoning to steal clothing. Juvenile delinquents that identified with preconventional ethics exhibited behavioral intention to steal clothing

Clothing · Cognition · Developmental psychology · Juvenile · Juvenile delinquency · Moral behavior · Moral disengagement · Moral reasoning · Psychiatry · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Law · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology

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