Annotated Bibliography

(2013). Global Views on Morality. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from

http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/04/15/global-morality/.
Overall, the information provided in the above image as well as in the specific
subcategories of moral topics demonstrates how moral beliefs vary widely across
countries. While people find common archetypes of all people across all cultures, it
seems that the individuals surveyed from all of these countries yet express alternative
moral beliefs simply based on the culture with which they identify. This begs the
question: is it possible for an individual to preserve moral beliefs despite the
environment surrounding them? Hoping to understand more how culture has the
power to influence views on morality, this source will be helpful in defining further
the influence of morality.
Bar-Yam, M., Kohlberg, L., & Naame, A.. (1980). Moral Reasoning of Students in Different
Cultural, Social, and Educational Settings. American Journal of Education, 88(3),
345362. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1085057.
This source centralizes on the studies of different cultural and social groups of youth
in Israel, especially focusing on the kibbutz community with an advanced
educational setting and how kibbutz youth differ from non-kibbutz youth. The
studies present significant data relating differences between females and males,
kibbutz and non-kibbutz, social classes, and Christian and Muslim contrast. Given
the focus on cross-cultural morality and the role of education and culture in the
shaping of morality, this sources contributes well to a more comprehensive view of
morality's influence. When seeking to compare neurological and cultural factors

associated with morality, the contrasts outlined in this study accentuate significant
factors that could potentially outweigh one's inborn sense of morality.
Bloom, Paul. Wynn, Karen. "Babies Help Unlock the Origins of Morality." 60 Minutes.
CBS. WCBS, New York: 18 Nov 2012. Television. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/babies-help-unlock-the-origins-of-morality/.
Validates that babies as young as three months of age have a sense of what is right
and wrong and that humans tend to prefer those of good morals. The source
additionally proves that humans have an innate tendency to mistreat those of the
outgroupa natural us and them mentality that has bred bigotry across the world.
Further research done on children of older ages expressed more selfless and altruistic
tendencies given that they had experienced education and exposure to the real world.
But, as one professor noted, adversity causes us to regress to our childlike
selves.Given that this sources explores the innate foundations of racism and
immorality, it will be a powerful tool of research. If a culture condones this natural
tendency of us and themeven praises it, then it is possible that evil tendencies
are in part a cultures doing.
Caravita, S. C. S., Giardino, S., Lenzi, L., Salvaterra, M., & Antonietti, A. (2012). Socioeconomic factors related to moral reasoning in childhood and adolescence: the missing
link between brain and behavior. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 262.
http://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00262
In this source, researchers explored the neurological foundations of morality. I was
especially excited by this source, because part of their research used the trolley test
as a means of measuring brain reaction to making such moral decisions. Results of

the experimentation found that there was a neurological connection with making
moral decisions. Likewise, there is a correlation between socio-economic status and
moral decision-making. For example, in the Indian caste system, we may observe
differences in moral structures across the different castes. The research explored the
difference between impersonal and personal moral decision-making, which also
presented interesting distinctions that I had not yet considered, as I had sort of
lumped moral decision-making into one vague category of understanding. Also, the
research compared socio-conventional decisions versus moral decisions, which
showed variation across different groups. This research directly contributes to my
research because it demonstrates how morality can be influenced simply by your
social/economic class. However, it also goes to show how morality might be more
individual than we perceive through observation, as there is a direct connection to
brain structures when we make moral decisions. This research will be extremely
useful for my research and with further evaluation, I may be able to draw important
conclusions to support my thesis.
Chishti, A., Pakeeza, S.. Role of Religion in Understanding Norms and Values.
International Journal of Asian Social Science 2(10). Retrieved from
http://www.aessweb.com/journal-detail.php?id=5007.
This article discussed norms and values associated with the religion of Islam. The
writers explored the differences between "definite" norms, like Shariah Law and
"indefinite" norms that characterize other governing law codes that are more
malleable to changing circumstances and constituent preference. The writers also
provided insight into connections between such norms and faith. From my reading, it

seemed that they were reconciling perceptions of violence and Islam by casting the
reality of Islam in general in a more positive light, although a second reading would
do me well to further assess the value of this resource. I believe that this article could
potentially be valuable to my research, for I am trying to learn more about social
norms and how these norms might restrict individuality. In Islam, it is evident that
certain social norms have systematically suppressed certain groups of people
(especially in accordance with Shariah Law), so I will perhaps pursue further
research about Islamic social norms and glean more ideas from there.
Harris, S. (2010 February). Science can answer moral questions. [Video file]. Retrieved
from www.ted.com/talks/sam_harris_science_can_show_what_s_right?language=en.
Sam Harris converges two lenses of human understanding that are usually regarded
as separated: science and morality. Harris, in a way, seeks to bring the certainty of
science to this veritable surface, although he recognizes that a clear solution to moral
questions is not something for a computer to spit out. Rather, he describes a certain
"continuum." Harris's perspective illustrates several moral issues that face us, but
delivers a powerful summary of moral perspectives and a unique but compelling
argument about the science behind morality--the kind of science that might reconcile
moral relativism with factual science, making morality not relative, but instead
universal. Given the talk's focus on how an individual may be overpowered by an
oppressive group moral standard, the video will provide meaningful insight into
moral relativism. Harris's belief in a universal morality would, in a sense, triumph
individual over group, which speaks directly to the overall objectives of
understanding the influences of morality.

Jaswal, V. K., Croft, A. C., Setia, A. R., & Cole, C. A. (2010). Young Children Have a Specific,
Highly Robust Bias to Trust Testimony. Psychological Science, 21(10), 15411547.
http://doi.org/10.1177/0956797610383438.
In this study, a researcher conducted a study in which children were given the task of
finding a sticker under a cup. The children watched the researcher place the sticker
under a yellow cup, for example, but then the researcher said that the sticker was
under the red cup. The children repeatedly trusted the testimony of the researcher
rather than going with what they had seen or the additional arrow placed on the cup
with the sticker. This source attests to how children at this young age (about three
years old) will trust their authority figures over their own intuition. Therefore, a
child's moral development may be largely influenced by a parent's values and
teaching. Given the source's focus on whether morality is individual or affected by
environment or culture, a parent's role in this development will be a key aspect of
research. The immense inclination of young children to believe what they have been
told blindly without question could indicate the formation of unquestioned
acceptance of immoral values and oppressive social norms that promulgate the
immoral actions of an individual within his or her own community.
Landau, E. (2014, March 27). How your brain makes moral judgments. CNN. Retrieved from
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/health/brain-moral-judgments/.
This article delves more into the biological foundations of moral judgments,
presenting study findings that demonstrate the differences between a psychopath's
brain structure and a non-psychopath's brain structure when pressed to decide in a
moral dilemma. This source legitimized in part the idea that morality affects each

individual in different, unique, and specific ways. The studies only seemed to be
concerned with identified psychopaths, despite the goal of research to delve into the
idea of whether ordinary individuals can be induced by culture to commit a
seemingly psychopathic act. Even still, the source was enlightening and prompts
further curiosity.
Wilson, B. J. (2008). Media and Moral Development. Children and Electronic Media, 18(1).
Retrieved from http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/docs/18_01_05.pdf.
This article centralizes on how children who watch fantasy violence may have less
advanced moral reasoning than children who watch less violence in film, movies, et
cetera. This source speaks to the influence of entirely external factors on moral
judgments, which coincides directly with my topic's parameters. In this respect, it
seems that without having seen a certain scene in a television show, perhaps a child
would make a different decision than if they had fallen in love with a heroic
character whose violence seems "justified." This source will be helpful in
demonstrating the impact of an external or environmental factor on a child's moral
development.
Woods, C. P. (1996). Gender differences in Moral Development and Acquisition: A Review
of Kohlbergs and Gilligans Models of Justice and Care. Social Behavior &
Personality: An International Journal, 24(4), 375. Retrieved from
http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7e56cca1-2652-4d9c-851a280ebc45921a%40sessionmgr4002&vid=3&hid=4113.
This source discusses and compares Kohlberg's theory of moral development with

Carol Gilligan's theory of moral development, surrounding the discussion on

differences between male and female moral reasoning and the universal validity of
such a moral development model. Kohlberg's theories are in Gilligan's point of view
thought as skewed to represent males and unfairly place females on a lower-level of
moral reasoning. The researcher also describes controversy surrounding the
universality of a systematic moral development model in that Kohlberg's model may
be skewed to represent American upper and middle classes as opposed to a
worldwide outlook. Given the culture and gender components of the source, the
research will bolster further study into the cultural roots of morality and the most
sound manner of judging by which an individual attains his/her morality.