Considering the literature on moral development research and theory, we argue for the need to develop a theoretical approach that takes into account all different aspects or dimensions of human development, such as affection, cognition, and contextual embedding. The complexities of the phenomena requires investigators to analyze the dynamics of the individual's moral development within a systemic and integrated framework, rescuing the interactive and contextual dimension involved in the resolution of moral conflicts, and the construction of values and beliefs. Elaborating on the assumptions and principles of a sociocultural construtivist perspective for the study of human development, we consider the methodological demands implied by the adoption of such a systemic framework.
beliefs; values; socialization; moral development