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The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Adolescent Moral Reasoning: Exploring a Dual-Pathway Cognitive Model
Xiaoming Li1,2, Tiwang Cao3, Ronghua Hu2
1Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Abstract:
This study examines how objective (OSES) and subjective (SSES) socioeconomic status influence adolescent moral reasoning through distinct psychological mechanisms. Analyzing 4122 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.38), we found SSES enhanced moral internalization via strengthened social identity, while OSES reduced moral stereotyping through cognitive flexibility. Contrary to expectations, parental emotional warmth failed to buffer against SSES-related declines in internalization, with higher SSES predicting reduced internalization across parenting contexts. Results reveal socioeconomic status operates through dual pathways-social identity processes for SSES and cognitive flexibility for OSES-while challenging assumptions about parenting's protective role. The findings suggest tailored interventions: identity-building programs for SSES-related moral development and cognitive training for OSES-linked reasoning biases, advancing theoretical understanding of moral development in diverse socioeconomic contexts.
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