Blackwell Reference Online

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Moral reasoning that derives from a concern for others and a desire to maintain thoughtful mutual relationships with those affected by one's actions. The concern of this approach is the responsibility of the individual to respond to another in the other's terms, acting out of care for the other person ( Gilligan, 1982 ). This is distinct from conceptions of morality as justice in that it does not attempt to follow impartial rules or ensure equitable treatment. It focuses on responsiveness to another's needs. It also includes caring for oneself in a nurturing rather than a self‐maximizing way. Because the voices expressing an ethic of care are most frequently women's voices, this orientation has become the focal point of extensive research and debate about whether men and women differ in their moral reasoning. A moral orientation toward caring was initially observed by Carol Gilligan in her interviews of women facing abortion decisions ( Gilligan, 1977, 1982 ). Gilligan's articulation of morality as care emerged in contrast to Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development, which Gilligan argued relied on a conception of morality as justice. In 1977 Carol Gilligan challenged the field of moral development to consider the sex bias inherent in Kohlberg's model. The longitudinal sample which had given Kohlberg his critical model‐building data was composed of 84 males. Women, when measured ... log in or subscribe to read full text