Moral Reasoning and Political Beliefs of Dutch Adolescents and Young Adults

Abstract

The relation between moral reasoning and political beliefs is studied by distinguishing between two different domains of political beliefs. These domains were related to the level of moral reasoning in adolescents and young adults. A sample of 1,968 Dutch adolescents and young adults responded in 1991 to the Defining Issues Test (J. R. Rest, 1979a) and seven political attitude scales. This procedure was repeated in 1994 for 1,498 Dutch adolescents and young adults, of whom 911 individuals had also participated in the 1991 survey. Thus, longitudinal data were available for this latter group. Results showed, first, that a distinction between economic and cultural dimensions of political beliefs is useful. Second, the level of moral reasoning related to political beliefs, but only in the cultural domain. Third, during adolescence, this correlation increased with age and educational level. The relation between moral reasoning and political beliefs is discussed in terms of similarities in content versus cognitive determinants.