Below you’ll find my PhD proposal.
Much of my MA work has focussed on the “lure” hypothesis – the common but controversial idea that rewards can be used to lure children into developing more internal motivation for virtuous behaviours. In truth, the lure hypothesis is less about rewards per se and more about the effect that a certain class of behaviours – namely, behaviours that instantiate intrinsically valuable moral virtues (e.g., honesty, kindness, bravery) – can have on those who start off extrinsically motivated. The suggestion is that engaging in such behaviours can prompt an internal shift in motivation. For my MA dissertation [coming soon], I attempt to test the lure hypothesis via an intervention at my school. For my PhD, I will start looking at strategies that might speed up the internalisation process – specifically, that of phronesis-guided reflection.
Phronesis is an idea from ancient Greek philosophy, especially Aristotle; it means “practical wisdom” – the sort of wisdom that enables us to make good moral decisions (see Key concepts). There are (arguably) four components of phronesis:
- Moral perception, which allows us to recognise/identify the morally important aspects of a situation;
- Emotional regulation, which prevents our emotions from running away with us;
- Moral adjudication, which enables us to decide between competing virtues (e.g., honesty and kindness);
- An overarching picture – or “blueprint” – of what it means to live a good life.
When I suggest that phronesis-guided reflection could speed up the internalisation of virtue, the component I most have in mind is the blueprint component. Teachers and parents often rely on such strategies when trying to correct negative behaviour. If a child has just been unkind, say, they might ask, “Is that really the sort of person you want to be when you grow up?” This kind of questioning invites the child to begin forming a blueprint, which might then be brought to bear on the present in order to help regulate behaviour. “I don’t want to be unkind when I grow up, so I should refrain from being unkind.” For my PhD, I plan to investigate whether the same sort of blueprint-invoking questioning might actively promote positive (i.e., morally virtuous) behaviours. Moreover, I will attempt to test this idea via a randomised controlled trial at my school… Wish me luck! I will post updates as I go along here.
I have already delivered one conference presentation based on my proposed PhD research. For those interested in applying for PhD funding, it is worth noting that the proposal below comprised the largest part (40%) of an application that won an ESRC studentship. If you think I might be able to help with a funding application, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.