The process of implementing the moral choice of young men and women
has an unusually wide scope for revealing all its facets. The concept of choice in
the context of the moral formation of a growing personality is revealed in various
aspects of its life. Therefore, it is worth considering the moral choice, examining
the various scientific positions of both foreign and Ukrainian scientists, which
makes it possible to substantiate the content and essence of the concept itself, to
determine the psychological determinants of choice and highlight the stages of its
implementation.
The theoretical part of the study is based on the analysis of scientific
achievements of scientists in the field of philosophy, ethics, pedagogy and
psychology, which reflect the problem of the moral choice of boys and girls. The
basic approaches (psychoanalytic, behavioural,personality-oriented, etc.) were
analyzed, which made it possible to isolate and generalize the psychological
determinants of the moral choice of the personality of youth.
It is noted that youthful age is a special period in a person's life, when his
personal, moral formation takes place and he receives different moral experience,
which is the basis of his own moral values. This stage of a young man's life does
not pass without difficulties and their overcoming depends on his value
orientation. Overcoming difficulties, boys and girls find themselves in various
difficult moral situations, where they have to choose the right decision-making
option and implement it in their own living space. Actualizing their moral values,
they thus make a moral choice. Thus, the moral values of boys and girls determine
the process of making such a choice.
The content context of moral choice is analyzed and its definition is
formulated. This concept is considered as a complex act of activity of the
individual, which is aimed at resolving the contradictions between "good" and
"evil," where she chooses one of the alternative options, guided by moral values,
in particular freedom and responsibility.
Based on in-depth knowledge about the content and essence of moral
choice, its main stages were distinguished. These include: the first stage -
awareness of the situation of moral choice; the second is an analysis of moral
values; the third is the struggle of motives; fourth - decision-making; the fifth is
its own moral choice; the sixth is moral self-regulation of behavior.
Having analyzed the scientific works of foreign and modern Ukrainian
researchers, we substantiated the psychological determinants of moral choice,
which are relevant in modern conditions of life of youth. These determinants are
the moral values of young men and women, which causally determine their moral
choice. Such moral values as dignity, conscience, empathy, virtue, moral duty,
moral motivation, responsibility, freedom of choice, justice are allocated.
As a result of a deep study of scientific developments on the above problem,
we were able to reliably reproduce the hierarchy of stages of moral choice, each
of which is determined by a certain moral value that is dominant at one stage or
another in the personality of adolescence. Thus, the first stage determines dignity
and conscience; the second is empathy and integrity; the third is moral duty and
moral motivation; fourth - responsibility; the fifth is freedom of choice; the sixth
is justice.
An empirical study was conducted, taking into account the peculiarities of
the moral choice of young men and young women. In the course of the
ascertaining experiment, the criteria (comprehension of a complex situation,
understanding of moral values and the formation of one's own moral principles,
moral reflection, awareness of needs and motives, a sense of responsibility,
freedom of decision, moral self-regulation), levels (high, medium, low) and
indicators of the moral choice of a young person are substantiated. So, a high
level of moral choice is manifested in boys and girls with a developed system of
moral values; deep understanding of the situation of choice; formed emotionalvalue
attitude to others; the display of human dignity; the ability to deeply reflect
moral values; willingness to take responsibility for their own decisions and
actions; act freely, fairly. Young people with an average level can be described
as being aware of the situation of moral choice; often demonstrate dignity in
relation to others; reflect moral values; make independent decisions, but
sometimes they can "side with" a loved one, thereby changing their previous
choice; Almost all the time they show freedom and responsibility in their
decisions; try to act fairly.
