Abstract:
The relationship between higher education and moral development has been of interest to researchers for more than six decades, with the majority of research focusing on normative patterns of moral reasoning development in college students. Yet, moral reasoning is only one aspect of moral functioning. Other moral capacities such as moral sensitivity, moral motivation, and moral character contribute to moral action. Indeed, exemplary moral functioning is characterized by a synergy and integrity in how the individual responds to the environment. This study examined the relationship between exemplary moral functioning and cognitive perceptions of the collegiate environment. Using the moral exemplar research design, the study explored between-group differences in cognitive perceptions of collegiate life, paying particular attention to how these perceptions shaped engagement and development. The results of this study demonstrate clear differences in the ways college student moral exemplars and their comparison peers perceive and prioritize collegiate experiences. These differences cannot be explained by differences in basic personality or moral reasoning ability. Unlike other college students, moral exemplars differentiate collegiate activities into clusters (i.e., academic life, social negatives, campus involvement, and personal growth) and prioritize personal growth experiences (e.g., learning about different worldviews or perspectives, advocating for an important cause). Future research is needed to better understand what personal or environmental factors contribute to these differences in perception and engagement.
