The perceptions of morality of secondary school learners: a cross-cultural study

Abstract

English: The focus of this research was to determine the perceptions of morality among a group of young South Africans. More specifically, the possible roles that gender, culture, lifestyle, religion and sexual practices may play in these perceptions of morality were investigated. To date, relatively few studies have attempted to measure the yout.h's perceptions of morality. Consequently, little South African literature is available. While many variables are believed to influence the development and expression of morality, the variables that were measured in this study included gender, culture, lifestyle, sexual experience and religion, as found in literature. Seven schools were involved in this study. They were classified as being high, average and below average with regards to academic performance. Of these schools, three were black schools from Mangaung. The remainder of the schools were found in Bloemfontein, of which two were white Afrikaans schools and two were interracial English schools. An age limit of between 12 and 17 years was imposed. After statistical analysis, the variable found to have the greatest influence on the perception of morality was gender. A core finding of this study was that the female learner's responses point towards a higher level of morality than the male learners do. This study also found cultural differences with regards to morality. Frequency of religious practices was also found to have an influence on moral expression. The study also indicated that past sexual experience has an effect on the perception and expression of morality. Lifestyle was not found to be a significant factor in the perception of morality significant in this study. The results of the research will help to give clearer understanding of the youth's perception of morality, which could then be incorporated into combating immorality, for example, through developing programmes in this regard. For future and especially comparative purposes, the findings of this study could also serve as a base-line measurement of the perceptions of morality among the South African youth should one wish to determine to what extent these perceptions are static or dynamic. Without a doubt, the issue of morality is indeed contentious and controversial. And while we may argue its origin, nature and influence, morality is as important now as it ever was, if not more so. For this reason then, morality in South Africa needs to be further investigated.

Afrikaans: Die fokus van die navorsing was die bepaling van persepsies van moraliteit onder 'n groep jong Suid Afrikaners. Die moontlike rol wat geslag, kultuur, lewenstyl, godsdiens en seksuele praktyke speel in die persepsie van moraliteit is spesifiek ondersoek. Tot op hede het relatief min studies gepoog om die jeug se persepsie van moraliteit te meet en gevolglik is weining Suid Afrikaanse literatuur oor die onderwerp beskikbaar. Hoewel verskeie veranderlikes 'n invloed kan uitoefen op die ontwikkeling en uitdrukking van moraliteit, is daar vir die doel van hierdie studie gefokus op die volgende: geslag, kultuur, lewenstyl, seksuele ondervinding en godsdiens. Sewe skole is by die studie betrek en is geklassifiseer as hoog, gemiddeld en ondergemiddeld ten opsigte van akademiese prestasie. Onder die sewe skole was twee swart skole in Mangaung, twee blanke Afrikaanse skole in Bloemfontein en twee veelrassige Engelse skole, ook in Bloemfontein. Leerders tussen die ouderdomme van 12 jaar en 17 jaar is by die studie betrek. Na afloop van die statistiese analise is vasgestel dat geslag die grootste invloed uitoefen op die persepsie van moraliteit. 'n Kernbevinding van die studie is dat vroulike leerders se response aanduidend is van 'n hoër vlak van moraliteit as manlike leerders. Resultate dui ook verder op kulturele verskille ten opsite van moraliteit. Die frekwensie van religieuse praktyke blyk ook 'n invloed te hê op die uitdrukking van moraliteit. Lewenstyl is nie aangedui as 'n beduidende taktor in die persepsie van moraliteit nie. Die navorsingsresultate dra by tot 'n beter begrip van die jeug se persepsie van moraliteit, wat verder geïnkorporeer kan word by die ontwikkeling van toepaslike programme om immoraliteit te beveg. Die resultate kan vir toekomstige en spesifiek vergelykende doeleindes dien as 'n basislyn meting van die persepsies van moraliteit onder Suid Afrikaanse jeug, asook die statiese of dinamiese aard van hierdie persepsies. Die kwessie van moraliteit is sonder twyfel aanvegbaar en selfs kontroversiëel. Hoewel die oorsprong, aard en invloed van moraliteit debateerbaar is, kan die belangrikheid daarvan me geïgnoreer word nie, en behoort moraliteit in Suid Afrika juis om hierdie rede verder ondersoek te word.