Abstract:

Previous research has shown developmental differences in moral emotion judgment. In general, the pattern of attribution changes from outcome-oriented to morality-oriented. Factors such as social cognitive ability, context, and personality all contribute to children’s judgment and attribution. There are also some cross-cultural differences in children’s judgment and attribution of moral emotions. The patterns of children’s moral judgment are significantly associated with their moral behavior. Future research can explore moral emotion judgment and attribution in children with cognitive or behavioral disorders for intervention purposes.

Key words: moral emotion judgment, moral emotion attribution, social cognitive ability, cross-culture, moral behavior