A study on the moral autonomy of adolescents—an empirical analysis based on the third time national moral survey

TL;DR

This study explores how adolescents in China develop moral autonomy and identifies factors influencing their ethical growth.

Contribution

The study constructs and validates a new theoretical framework for moral autonomy with four empirically testable dimensions.

Findings

Adolescents' moral autonomy is developing but not fully mature.

A gap exists between moral knowledge and moral actions among adolescents.

Moral cognition among adolescents remains incomplete and insufficiently thorough.

Abstract

Adolescents are energetic ethical existence of Chinese society. Moral autonomy among adolescents is a crucial factor influencing their development. This study focuses on the development of moral autonomy among adolescents and its influencing factors, with the goal of promoting adolescents’ well-being. The moral autonomy of adolescents is an essential factor in the development process of Chinese ethics and morality, which can be mainly examined from the four aspects of the moral worldview, the consciousness of moral norms, the unity of knowledge and action, and the moral persistence in conflict situations.

A multi-source geospatial data-integrated, hierarchical and phased probability sampling method was employed. This approach introduced a high-precision half-grid system and utilized GPS/GIS-assisted address sampling, with GPS deployed for on-site positioning and verification. Data from the “Third National Moral Survey” were interpreted primarily through the “Structure–Cognition–Behavior” triadic framework. At the structural level, examined the influence of factors such as traditional culture and value systems on moral conceptions. At the cognitive level, explored internal psychological dimensions, including moral judgment and moral identity. At the behavioral level, observed actual gap between moral knowledge and moral actions.

In terms of innovation, this study constructs and empirically validates a comprehensive theoretical framework of “moral autonomy” among adolescents, supported by four empirically testable dimensions, thereby providing a new research direction for adolescent moral development. At the same time, by integrating scientific methods with a large-scale sample, and combining national probability sampling with validity verification, it offers an in-depth description of the developmental status of moral autonomy among adolescents.

According to the third time national moral survey data, the moral autonomy of adolescents has formed but not mature: In emerging fields of morality, a consensus on values has yet to be fully established; There exists a gap between moral action and moral knowledge; and moral cognition among adolescent groups remains incomplete and insufficiently thorough. Overall, this study will provide practical implications for youth-oriented pedagogical practices such as introducing dedicated case discussion curricula and developing “Digital Citizenship Ethics” curriculum system, and offer evidence-based recommendations for the formulation of related moral policies.

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