Close Interpersonal Relations with Parents and Peers in Adolescence as the Factor of Use of Moral Disengagement Mechanisms

The aim of the study was to investigate the link between the characteristics of close interpersonal relationships of adolescents in the family and with peers and the preferred mechanisms of moral self-justification. The data consists of 411 adolescences aged from 15 to 17 (Me=15,7; SD=0,7), 278 (67,6%) are men and 133 (32,4%) are women. 3 questionnaires were used: the adapted in Russian moral disengagement questionnaire by C. Moore, the questionnaire of attachment to mother in adolescence. By M. Yaremchuk, the questionnaire of attachment to parents and peers (the form about peers attachment) by G. Armsden and M. Greenberg). Results allowed to define preferred moral disengagement mechanisms. Three strategies of moral freedom were defined: active users, passive users and strategy focused on distortion of victim image. Identified moral freedom strategies are linked with the attachment to the mother and close relations with peers. Adolescents with secure mother attachment and trust, success in communication with peers are less active use moral disengagement mechanisms. Rejection, low trust level and low success in communication correlates with active use of moral disengagement mechanisms.

1. Bauman Z. , Donskikh L. Moral'naya slepota [Moral Blindness]. SPb. : izd-vo Ivana Limbakha, 2019. 386 p. (In Russ.).
2. Burmenskaya G.V., Almazova O.V. Vzaimootnosheniya brat'ev i sester i ikh svyaz' s privyazannost'yu k materi [Interrelations of brothers and sisters and their attachment to mother]. Voprosy psikhologii = Questions of psychology, 2015, no. 4, pp. 15–25. (In Russ., abstr. In Engl.).
3. Davydov V.V. Teoriya razvivay ushchego obucheniya [Theory of Developing Education]. M. : INTOR, 1996. 544 p. (In Russ.).
4. Karabanova O.A. Vozrastnaya psikhologiya. Konspekt lektsii [Developmental psychology. Lecture notes]. M.: Airis-Press, 2005. 240 p. (In Russ.).
5. Ledovaya Ya.A., Tikhonov R.V., Bogolyubova O.N., Kazennaya E.V., SorokinaYu.L. Otchuzhdenie moral'noi otvetstvennosti: psikhologicheskii konstrukt i metody ego izmereniya [Moral disengagement: psychological construct and measurement method]. Vestnik SPbGU. Seriya 16. Psikhologiya. Pedagogika = SPbGU Bulletin, Psychology, Pedagogy, 2016. Vol. 4, pp.. 23–39. DOI:10.21638/11701/spbu16.2016.402 (In Russ., abstr. In Engl.).
6. Molchanov S.V. Psikhologiya podrostkovogo i yunosheskogo vozrasta. Uchebnik dlya akademicheskogo bakalavriata [Psychology of adolescence and youth]. M. : Yurait, 2016. 351 p. (In Russ.).
7. Molchanov S.V., Poskrebysheva N.N., Zapunidi A.A., Markina O.S. Razvitie lichnostnoi avtonomii kak uslovie formirovaniya orientatsii podrostka v moral'noi sfere [Development of personal autonomyas the condition for formation of adolesncets orientation in moral shpere]. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-historical psychology, 2015. Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 22–29. DOI:10.17759/chp.2015110402 (In Russ., abstr. In Engl.).
8. Polivanova K.N. Psikhologicheskii analiz vozrastnoi periodizatsii [Psychological analysis of periodization of development]. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-historical psychology, 2006. Vol. 2, no.1, pp. 26–31. (In Russ. , abstr. In Engl.).
9. Poskrebysheva N.N., Karabanova O.A. Razvitie lichnostnoi avtonomii podrostkov v otnosheniyakh s roditelyami [Development of personal autonomy of adolescents in relations with parents]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 14: Psikhologiya = Moscow University Bulletin, Psychology, 2011. № 2, pp. 36–47. (In Russ. , abstr. In Engl.).
10. Fel'dshtein D.I. Osobennosti stadia razvitiya lichnosti na primere podrostkovogo vozrasta [Peculiarities of developmental stages of personality in adolescence]. In. D.I. Fel'dshteina. (Ed.) . Khrestomatiya po vozrastnoi psikhologii. Moscow: Institut prakticheskoi psikhologii, 1996. 304 p. (In Russ.).
11. Tsukerman G.A. Sotsial'no-psikhologicheskoe eksperimentirovanie kak forma vedushchei deyatel'nosti podrostkovogo vozrasta [Social-psychological experiment as for of basic activity in adolescence]. Vestnik MARO = MARO Bulletin, 2000. № 7, pp. 34–43. (In Russ.).
12. Erikson E. Detstvo i obshchestvo [Childhood and society]. Moscow: Letnii sad, Rech', 2000. 416 p. (In Russ.).
13. Armsden G.C., Greenberg M.T. The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment: Relationships to well-being in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 1987, no. 16 (5), pp. 427–454. DOI:10.1007/BF02202939
14. Bandura A. Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986. 640 p.
15. Bandura A., Barbaranelli C., Caprara G.V., Pastorelli C. Multifaceted Impact of Self-Efficacy Beliefs on Academic Functioning. Child Development, 1996, no. 67 (3). pp. 1206–1222.
16. Bandura A. Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm and Live with Themselves. New York, NY: Worth, 2015. 544 p.
17. Berlin L.J., Cassidy J. Relations among relationships: Contributions from attachment theory and research. Handbook of attachment: Theory, research, and clinical applications. In J. Cassidy, P.R. Shaver (Eds.). The Guilford Press, 1999, pp. 688–712.
18. Carlo G. , Randall B.A. The development of a measure of prosocial behaviors for late adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2002, no. 31, pp. 31–44. DOI:10.1023/A:1014033032440
19. Caroli M.E., Sagone E. Mechanisms of moral disengagement: an analysis from early adolescence to youth. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2013, no. 140, pp. 312–317. DOI:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.426
20. Collins W.A., Steinberg L. Adolescent Development in Interpersonal Context. Handbook of child psychology: Social, emotional, and personality development. In N. Eisenberg, W. Damon, R.M. Lerner (Eds.). John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2006, pp. 1003–1067.
21. Main M., Kaplan N., Cassidy J. Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: A move to the level of representation. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1985, no. 50 (1-2), pp. 66–104.
22. Turiel E. The development of morality. Handbook of child psychology: Social, emotional, and personality development. In N. Eisenberg, W. Damon, R.M. Lerner (Eds.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2006, pp. 789–857. DOI:10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0313