Abstract

SILVA, Cristina; FONSECA, Estela  and  LOURENCO, Orlando. Valores morais em Televisão: análise de uma série televisiva de grande audiência. Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2002, vol.20, n.4, pp.541-553. ISSN 0870-8231.

This study examines a Portuguese TV program in terms of Kohlberg's theory of moral development. The program, which is called Super-Pai, has a broad audience, in particular among children and adolescents. After the reading and analysis of the synopses of a set of 73 episodes, we chose those ones (i.e., episode # 4 and episode # 18) whose verbalizations expressed clear-cut moral contents, and classified these verbalizations into a certain level and stage of Kohlberg's moral reasoning. The results showed that (1) the majority of verbalizations are conventional, pointing namely to stage 3; (2) there are no postconconventional (stage 5) verbalizations: (3) stage 2 verbalizations follow in terms of frequency those of stage 3; and (4) stage 1 and stage 4 verbalizations are practically nonexistent. The present study also reveals that if some caution is adopted it is possible to analyze certain TV programs in terms of Kohlberg's moral stages, which may have important implications for those responsible for TV programs and schedules, in particular if they were interested in taking into account the available scientific knowledge in the area of moral development. Throughout the paper we also refer to the controversial issue of the relationship between ethics and television, and to some studies on the role of TV in individuals cognitive, social, and moral development.

Keywords : Television; development; values; Kohlberg.

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