The development of attitudes and morality in adult offenders
Date
1974
Authors
Parlett, Thomas Arthur Antony
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Abstract
This study attempts to evaluate the effect of high level correctional education on penitentiary inmates. A system of education is proposed which will lead to the development of prosocial attitudes and moral judgment. It was also hypothesized that the cognitive style of the subjects would change from global to analytic. Attention is given to various models of attitude change, and to sequential stage development theories.
The results of the study indicate that it is possible to bring about changes in attitudes, as measured by a semantic differential scale, changes towards a more analytic cognitive style, and a development of moral knowledge and moral ideology.
Six hypotheses are tested relating to extraversion and neuroticism, personality factors, cognitive style, attitudes, and morality.
The study was by nature an operational research rather than a laboratory type. However care was taken to make sure that appropriate steps were taken to ensure a reasonably tight design.
The duration of the study was five and one half months from pre- test to post- test. The subjects, numbering thirty six at pre-test were inmates of a federal maximum security penitentiary in British Columbia. The subjects were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. There was some drop out from both groups.