The Relationship between Moral Thought and Moral Action: Implications for Social Studies Education

This article focuses upon the question “Does level of moral reasoning increase the likelihood of moral behavior occurring?” Through a review of the literature on this subject, the author draws these conclusions: first, that although there does appear to be some evidence to support the idea that level of moral reasoning is associated with an increased amount of moral behavior, the relationship is by no means a clearcut one; and second, moral reasoning appears to be only one of many factors which may contribute to when and where moral behavior will occur.