Results so far show that moral judgment competence seems to be more influenced by educational and cultural characteristics than by years of study. Hypothesis 3 refers to the relation between cultural differences and moral judgment competence levels. Regarding the investigation of this hypothesis, the following variables were controlled in each culture: a) year of study, b) area of study and, in Brazil, c) type of institution.
5.3.1 Hypothesis 3a: Moral Judgment Test (MJT) C-scores by cul-ture and years of study
It is expected that moral judgment competence is not simply fostered through years of educa-tion. There should be no correlation between moral judgment competence and years of study when the variable learning environment is not controlled.
The MJT C-scores from undergraduates according to culture and year of study are portrayed in table 5.3 and support hypothesis 3a.
C-score
mean SD n
First year 19,6 14,7 355
Brazil Final year 18,0 13,4 262
Total of students 18,7 14,2 617 First year 29,8 17,4 378 German sp. Final year 30,9 18,0 153 Total of students 30,1 17,6 531
Table 5.3: MJT C-scores (means and standard deviation) by year of study and country, n= 1148.
A Levene-Test for the variance homogeneity in the groups analyzed showed no statistical sig-nificance, F(1,615) = 3,65; p < 0,56 (Brazil) and F(1,529) = 1,20; p < 0,27 (German-speaking countries).
As predicted by hypothesis 3a in regard to the variable year of study, moral judgment com-petence levels remain almost unaltered when comparing students at the beginning and at the end of their studies. A one-factor analysis of variance showed that the interaction of the vari-able years of study with moral judgment competence was not statistically significant among Brazilian (F(1615) = 1,14, p < 0,29, r = 0,04) and German-speaking students (F(1,529) = 0,38, p< 0,54, r = 0,03). No correlation between moral competence and year of study was found when all participants from a country are assessed irrespective of area of study and learning environment. This confirms that not only the length, but quality of education (as tested in Hypothesis 1) influence moral development.
5.3.2 Hypothesis 3b: MJT C-scores by culture and area of study
According to hypothesis 3b, it was expected that MJT C-scores are different in the three areas of study. In addition, patterns of moral judgment competence development are also different over the years. A one-factor analysis of variance shows that the effect areas of study is statistically
5.3. HYPOTHESIS 3 99 C-score
Culture Area of study mean SD n Psychology 19,9 0,8 290 Brazil Business adm. 14,9 0,9 257 Medical school 23,7 1,4 100 Psychology 37,7 2,0 72 German sp. Business adm. 29,0 1,4 155
Medical school 28,9 1,0 304
Table 5.4: MJT C-score (means), standard deviation and sample size (n) by culture and area of study.
significant for each culture with moderate and small effect-sizes; Brazil: F(2, 614) = 16,14, p=0,00, r = 0,22; German-speaking: F(2, 528) = 7,85, p = 0,00, r = 0,17.
A two-factor analysis of variance (interaction of the variables year and area of study with moral judgment competence) shows statistically significant results only for the Brazilian sample (Brazil: F(2,611) = 10,12, p = 0,00, r = 0,18) and indicates that moral judgment competence moves towards a regression among medical and business administration students. No significant correlation was found in the German-speaking sample: F(2,525) = 1,8424, p = 0,159, r = 0,08.
Figure 5.9 shows different moral judgment competence levels (C-scores) from undergraduates from three areas of study, at the beginning and at the end of their studies according to each culture and confirms hypothesis 3b. As shown in table 5.4, there are also similar tendencies to be observed among undergraduates from two areas of study: medical students in both cultures seem to move towards regression and psychology students to an increase of moral competence levels.
5.3.2.1 Medical
The fact that medical students in Brazil had at their first years similar moral judgment com-petence levels as their German-speaking peers could indicate that a specific culture is not in itself a significant factor as far as moral judgment competence is concerned. However, over the course of the years, moral judgment competence among Brazilian medical students decrease dramatically (absolute effect-size = −12,4). The same type of regression, but not so dramatic is observed among German medical students (absolute effect-size = 3,6). In a further section this is analyzed in detail, observing institutions separately. A more significant regression (ab-solute effect-size = −4,8) is found among German-speaking medical students from university I.
Students from university II remain constant in their moral judgment competence levels. This was analyzed in Hypothesis 1.
5.3.2.2 Psychology
Psychology students show in both cultures a similar tendency to increase their moral judgment competence levels. The absolute effect-sizes are 1,6 (German-speaking) and 2,6 (Brazil). As seen in table 5.5, psychology students results in Brazil can be analyzed according to institution type. Students from high-competitive universities show statistically significant gains in their moral judgment competence levels in the final years. These findings relate to those presented in an earlier section, indicating a correlation with afavorablelearning environment.
5.3.2.3 Business administration
Business administration students in Brazil show that the regression phenomenon regarding moral judgment competence is not limited to medical students. The tendency to regression (absolute effect-size = −1,96) observed in figure 5.9 is found to be statistically significant among students from competitive institutions in Brazil (table 5.5). In addition, this suggests that competitive institutions do not necessarily offer a favorable learning environment that fosters moral judgment competence.
5.3.3 Hypothesis 3c: MJT C-scores by type of institution in Brazil:
competitive and non-competitive
This hypothesis referred to the possibility of generalization of previous findings from the pilot study and from Bataglia’s study (2001) in which students from competitive institutions had higher moral judgment competence levels. Results confirm hypothesis 3c. Brazilian students from competitive institutions have in general, significant higher moral judgment competence levels (MJT C-score = 23) than students from non-competitive ones (C-score = 13,3). The effect competitiveness is statistically significant with a large effect-size: F = (1,615) 0,79, p = 0,00, r = 0,34.
Students from non-competitive institutions present lower moral judgment competence levels, but those are maintained during the study years (figure 5.10). Figure 5.10 shows that students from competitive institutions do not increase their moral competence levels over the course of the years. Rather, they suggest the possibility of a regression in those levels. When the areas of study are closely analyzed, it becomes clear that this announces a dramatic regression among medical students in Brazil and a less dramatic regression among business administration students from competitive universities.
5.4. HYPOTHESIS 4 101
Brazil German sp.
Psychology first final 0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
C-s core (M JT)
Business Adm.
first final
Medical first final
Figure 5.9: Moral judgment competence by area, year of study and culture. Sample sizes: Brazil n = 617, including 290 psychology, 257 business administration and 100 medical students. In German-speaking countries,n= 531, including 72 psychology, 155 business administration and 304 medical students.