The relationship between the development of moral reasoning and the tendency towards aggressive behaviour in difficult situations during adolescence

The focus of this research was to establish the relationship between the development of moral reasoning and the tendency towards aggressive behaviour. Gender differences and the notion of responsibility were also considered in the research and the questions were constructed accordingly. Three different questionnaires were used in investigations: Defining Issues Test (DIT), Coping in Difficult Social Situations and Sense of Responsibility Scale. 136 subjects, age 15-19 years old (93 girls and 43 boys) participated in the research. Results from the study show that moral reasoning is a major infl uencing factor in aggressive behaviour and this can be used to predict potential aggressive behaviour in adolescents. The study also showed that the relationship between development of moral reasoning and aggressive behaviour is moderated by the sense of the responsibility, as the sense of the responsibility clearly limits tendency towards aggressive behaviour. Genders differences also affected both the tendency towards aggressive behaviours, along with the relation between aggressive behaviour and sense of the responsibility. The study showed that sense of responsibility playing a larger role in boys