The Art of Reading People: Character, Expression, Interpretation

Background

Berlin Model

At what point is there a breakdown in ethical behavior? This is a question I pondered while researching for this unit. Ethics is moral principles that include a code of values that drive our choices and actions. ⁵ Ethics involve understanding the difference between right and wrong. People with strong character will make ethical decisions based upon what they ought to do and not what they want to do. Being ethical often means forgoing personal happiness to sacrifice oneself for the common good. One can easily open a newspaper or turn on a television to see that there are many people who choose their own happiness and satisfaction over what is right. In the end, does happiness prevail? As educators, our job is to help guide our students towards making ethical decisions that will test their character, and to figure out where the breakdown of ethical behavior begins.

As adults, we view the decision-making process to be almost automatic. We look for solutions based on several key factors: how my decision will affect myself, how will it affect those around me, and what are the consequences. Seems simple enough, but often times, life will throw us curve balls that require making decisions which will ultimately test our character and values. We then become reflective and look to the past for guidance. We rely on our "wisdom-related knowledge and judgment" to help us cope with life's challenges. ⁶

The concept of "wisdom-related knowledge and judgment" refers to the Berlin Model on the theory of wisdom. This model defines wisdom as the expertise one develops through experience and knowledge. The model explains two types of knowledge: factual and procedural. Factual knowledge is that concerning human nature, development, and social norms. Procedural knowledge involves aspects of life that deal with planning, like setting goals or completing tasks. ⁷ Wisdom is a motivated process of learning that can develop over time to adult levels from early childhood and adolescence. Although age is an important factor in the development of wisdom, the adolescent's initial experience in responding to specific problems and issues also plays a significant role. Unlike adolescents, adults reach a sort of plateau in the wisdom gained, and along with character, they have the capacity and forthright to make such decisions and choices. ⁸ But what happens when adolescents don't have the experience to use wisdom to solve ethical dilemmas?

Ethical Decision-Making Model

As educators, we can teach the same kind of integrated approach to ethical decision-making that adults use in their careers. There is a model of the interrelationship of ethical principles, character and professional values that serves as a tool that professionals use in the work place when faced with ethical problems. ⁹ This model suggests that the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, autonomy, and fidelity sit at the core with character traits and values aligned accordingly. The study gives the example of fidelity. Fidelity, according to the sample, is defined as "issues of loyalty, truthfulness, promise keeping." This ethical principle is closely related to the character trait of trustworthiness and the professional value of truth. In bringing this back to my classroom, I would explain that if we choose the ethical principal of fidelity by being loyal to a friend in not divulging his/her secrets, we in turn have showed the characteristic of trustworthiness by being dependable and the value of truth by having the integrity to adhere to a friendship that we care about. Or, as a class, we would look at the ethical principal of autonomy. My middle school students are always discussing the need to make their own choices without being under the watchful eye of a parent or guardian. I would reveal that with freedom of choice come the feelings of respect and the value of individualization. If they want freedom to make autonomous decisions, they need to be considerate or respectful of the rules their parents/guardians have established for them and in return will gain the respect to grow as an individual. As educators, we can use this integrated model with our students to help them understand that all three go hand in hand; we can give them a clearer view of the bigger picture.

The study also provided practitioners a flow chart model of ethical decision-making that applies the integrated approach of principles, character traits, and professional values. The Ethical Decision-Making Model consists of a four-step process. The first step in the process is to clearly identify the problem to ensure that the final decision addresses the exact issue. A foundation for the problem has to be set with an understanding of the circumstances, the people involved, and the situational facts. This piece also includes an in-depth investigation of similar incidents and the outcomes and consequences of those incidents, along with potential risks that might result. The foundation, like a house, is the most important aspect of the decision-making process. Without a strong foundation, the process will falter. ^{1 0} This first step is the most difficult and the most time consuming part of the decision-making process. Students, at any level, may have a hard time with this piece because it forces them not only to be reflective and aware of past mistakes, but they must also be able to discern fact from hearsay. At this age, friendship and belonging take priority; however, if these get in the way of determining the circumstances and facts of a problem, students need to learn how to put them aside.

The second step of the process is to classify the problem to determine what ethical theme it addresses, or if there is in fact an ethical issue that needs to be addressed. To do so, you ask the following questions:

"Does this problem involve being honest with others?"

"Does this problem involve the right of others?"

"Does this problem involve being fair to others?"

"Does this problem involve acting responsibly?"

If the answer to any of the four questions is "yes" then there is an ethical issue that needs to be addressed. If the answer to all four of the questions is "no" then the problem is devoid of an ethical problem. ^{1 1} This step may be the easiest to teach students because the questions are very straight forward and to the point with very black and white answers. Students may be hesitant in answering these questions because it forces them to look at the problem with lenses they may not be comfortable wearing. Instead of hastily solving problems, they are encouraged to think about how the issue will affect other.

The next step in the process is to determine if "yes" is the answer to only one of the questions. If this is the case, then the path is straightforward. If there is only one ethical issue raised, then the choice becomes clear to do what is ethically right. ^{1 2} For example, if a student finds ten dollars on the floor of the classroom, it is clear that turning in the money would be the correct thing to do. Solutions become unclear when more than one question has a "yes" response. From the study, ethical dilemmas are described as "situations where two 'rights' vie…the resolution is a search to identify the path of greatest good." We go back to the previous problem of the student who finds money on the ground of the classroom. At this point the ethical problem is easy to solve; however, what if we change the scenario to include two people. Two students, who are best friends, find ten dollars on the ground of the classroom. Student A picks it up and is about to give it to the teacher, but Student B stops him/her, takes the ten dollars and says that he/she is going to keep the money. Student B proceeds to tell Student A not to tell anyone about the money. Now this problem has turned into an ethical dilemma for Student A. What does Student A do? The study suggests that one must "strive to balance the positive and negative outcomes connected with following each principle and choose the path of greatest good." For an adolescent in middle school, losing a friendship and being looked at as a snitch would outweigh the positive of doing good to benefit others. The path to making a decision like this would be difficult for students, but pride in outcome will come if they are informed of the interconnectedness of ethical principle, character traits and values in this situation. ^{1 3}

The last stage of the process ties in with stage three, and is the actual decision-making part of the process. At this point, the person has a good idea of the relevant principles, traits, and values associated with the problem, and this increases the possibility of him/her making a decision they can defend. ^{1 4} Being able to defend your choice plays a key role in taking ownership of the outcome and not allowing others to judge your decisions. People who are able to defend their decisions have shown to put some thought into the decision-making process and can be proud of their decision regardless of the outcome. If we look back to the previous example, Student A may not like the solution he/she ought to choose, but he/she will be proud that he/she will be associated with the character trait of responsibility and the value of freedom or being exempt from any external control that will later get him/her into more trouble.

Helping students understand the interrelationship of ethical principles, character, and professional values and teaching students to use the Ethical Decision-Making Model will give them the resources and skills when making decisions that may be life-altering as they develop into adults. As educators, we can only hope that what we teach will resonate with our students, and that in return they will take what is learned and use those skills in the future. I hope that by teaching my students skills to make ethical decisions, they will become students with stronger characters.