Peculiarities of moral disengagement mechanisms realization in adolescence

Relevance. The spread of deviant behavior and violations of moral norms by adolescents increases in the transitive informational society with high variability of socialization forms and moral standards. These violations are declaratively accepted by teenagers while they maintain a positive moral self-esteem. The implementation of behavior that goes beyond the boundaries of accepted moral standards indicates a violation of moral self-regulation associated with a special attitude to one’s act according to the type of moral alienation. A. Bandura proposed a model to justify immoral behavior where moral disengagement mechanisms are highlighted, providing support for positive self-esteem and self-respect. The selected moral disengagement mechanisms are actively used in adolescents to explain their own and other people's immoral behavior. 

Objective: to determine the characteristics of the preferences of moral disengagement mechanisms in adolescence and youth. Research goals: analysis of preferences of the moral disengagement mechanisms, age dynamics analysis of moral disengagement mechanisms, gender differences analysis of preferences of the moral disengagement mechanisms, analysis of the psychometric parameters of the questionnaire of moral disengagement mechanisms.

The following methods were used in the study: the method of moral disengagement mechanisms by S. Moore in the Russian-language adaptation by Ledova Ya.A. and colleagues, the methodology “Justice and care” (author S.V. Molchanov). 

Participants. The study involved 551 adolescents aged 14 to 17 where 346 (62.8%) were boys and 205 (37.2%) were girls. It also surveyed 230 senior students of universities. 

The following results were obtained: the characteristics of preferences were analyzed and a hierarchy of mechanisms of moral disengagement mechanisms was identified; various groups were distinguished by the nature of preferences of moral disengagement mechanisms; age dynamics of preferences of moral disengagement mechanisms were determined ;gender differences in the preferences of moral disengagement mechanisms are highlighted; the psychometric parameters of the used methodology were analyzed; the possibilities of its use was demonstrated.

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