Relationship of Moral Competence with Critical Thinking and Militarism: A Study Based on Student Cohort

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the relationship of moral competence with critical thinking and national militarism. Mediation of moral competence between critical thinking and moral national militarism was also investigated. This was a cross-sectional survey in which participants were college, university and teaching hospital students (N = 367). The instruments included Moral Competence Test (MCT-Urdu), Cornell-Critical Thinking Test-Z (Urdu) and National Militarism Scale. Critical thinking positively correlated with moral competence for the first story of MCT (i.e. workers’ dilemma) (r = .11, p < .05). It showed no relationship with overall moral competence. Critical thinking positively correlated with post conventional moral orientation (r = .10, p < .05), and it also positively predicted national militarism (? = .17, p < .05). Moral competence negatively correlated with national militarism (r = -.10, p < .05), with only the second story (i.e. euthanasia dilemma) having a negative relationship with national militarism (r = -.25, p < .05). No mediation of moral competence was found in the model. Two dilemmas of MCT show a peculiar pattern of relationship with both critical thinking and national militarism that need further elaboration. The findings are discussed under suitable theoretical frameworks to draw plausible conclusions.