The ontogeny of a moral stance: Developmental changes in coherence among facets of morality in young children

This longitudinal study examined the development of coherence in children's moral stance. It investigated the hypothesis that the different facets of moral stances-arousal, spontaneous protest, evaluations, and punishment judgments-become increasingly integrated in ontogeny. We assessed 94 children (45 female; 84 at T1 in 2020/21, 71 at T2 in 2021/22) aged 2.5 and 3.5 years (predominantly White, middle-to-high socioeconomic status), using responses to transgressions (harm, property destruction). Results revealed weak interrelations among moral facets in toddlerhood that strengthened over development. Moreover, with development, children showed increased consistency in their responses across scenarios. These findings highlight the developmental integration of moral behaviors, offering insights into the emergence of a coherent moral stance in early childhood.