Many theorists have developmental theories on different aspects of the concept of moral development. The approach of psychoanalytic theory on moral development actually proceeds through feelings of anxiety and guilt. According to Freud’s approach, the theory supports the super-ego, which is the moral aspect of the personality, in order to avoid punishment, reduce anxiety, and ensure the love of their parents, in which children internalize the right and wrong standards that are identified with their parents. Although this idea of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory on moral development is not supported by research, it may be true that guilt motivates moral development. However, it can be said that all positive and negative emotions in early childhood play an important role in the moral development of the child. The relationship between Freud’s concepts of id, ego, and superego on moral development is actually important. In particular, the superego is the moral aspect of the personality, and it wants to behave according to the standards approved by the society and includes social prohibitions. The superego develops and is shaped as a result of the interaction of the child with the elders during the childhood period. According to the psychoanalytic theory, moral development is shaped in this way in children, while the social learning theory, the biggest pioneer of which is Bandura, states that personal and environmental experiences and factors all play a role and improve moral development as intertwined determinants. According to this theory, our moral behavior is actually affected by the environment. Social Learning theorists state that our moral principles are learned and developed through modeling, imitation and reinforcement. The people from whom they receive their first examples and instructive information in early childhood are their parents. The behavior of parents has a very important effect on the moral development of children. According to this theory, children who take role models, imitate and emulate shape their moral development according to the behaviors they see in their families. In social learning theory, it is important to internalize the cultural norms that determine the moral development of the child as right or wrong standards. In this approach, values are relative and may vary depending on the culture in which the individual was born and grew up.
In summary, the similarity of these two theories is both the important effect of the relationship of children with their parents on moral development and the importance of society in our moral development, which is mentioned in social learning theory, and the similarity of the concept of superego in psychoanalytic theory. In my opinion, morality is the most basic and important element of personality, everyone’s view of the concept of morality is different, in this context, everyone should be respectful to each other. And lastly, it is always the best teacher for parents who have a great role in development to show their children beauty.
