Gender difference in ethical abilities of dental students

Area of Science:

• Psychology and Ethics Education
• Moral Development and Gender Studies

Background:

• Previous research on gender differences in moral cognition yielded mixed results, with some suggesting negligible gender influence on moral reasoning.
• Walker's review highlighted the lack of evidence for gender polarity in moral orientations (care vs. justice) and called for research on factors promoting moral maturity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential gender differences in moral functioning among predoctoral dental students.
• To assess four key capacities of moral functioning: moral sensitivity, moral reasoning, moral motivation, and moral implementation, following an ethics curriculum.

Main Methods:

• Archival data from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (1996-2000) were analyzed.
• Sixty female and sixty male students were randomly selected from five cohorts (n=386) who completed an ethics curriculum.
• Outcome measures assessed moral sensitivity, moral reasoning, moral motivation (including responsibility), and moral implementation.

Main Results:

• No significant gender differences were found in moral sensitivity.
• Gender differences were observed in one index of moral reasoning.
• Significant gender differences emerged in the responsibility dimension of moral motivation and in moral implementation.

Conclusions:

• While gender did not influence moral sensitivity, it played a role in specific aspects of moral reasoning, motivation (responsibility), and implementation in dental students.
• Findings suggest that professional ethics education may impact these capacities differently across genders.
• Further research is recommended to explore the psychological processes underlying moral maturity and potential gender-related variations in professional ethics education.