Structure of Moral Consciousness and Moral Intentions Among Youth in Hong Kong

The study is to examine measures of moral consciousness and moral intention and their linkages for Chinese youth in Hong Kong. It aims at testing the cognitive-developmental model of moral consciousness along seven stages, in ascending order: moral confusion, hedonism, personal interests, interpersonal and intrapersonal accord, societal order, societal progress, and universal principledriess. A face-to-face survey of 1,500 Chinese youths in Hong Kong provided data for analysis. The survey benefited from focus groups, which helped formulate items to measure moral consciousness. Structural equation modeling showed that one-step effects of moral consciousness on those of a stage higher were significant and more positive than two-step effects of moral consciousness on those of two stages higher. Moreover, effects of the moral consciousness of higher stages are more positive on moral intention and more negative on delinquent intention than moral values of lower stages. The cognitive-developmental model appears to hold with regard to Chinese youth. © 2001 A B Academic Publishers.