The relation between charachter strengths and moral judgement: The mediating role of prosocial behavior

In the present study, the mediator role of prosocial behavior in the relationship between charachter strengths and moral judgement among young adult was examined. The study was conducted in the province of Adana and its central district. The participants were 300 young adult (134 females and 136 males) who were between 20 and 40 age old. The researcher used the "Charachter Strengths Questionnaire" (McGrath R., 2015) to collect the data related to young adults' charachter strengths. The "Defining Issues Test (DIT)" (Rest J., 1979) was used to measure moral judgement skills. The data related to the prosocial behaviors was collected through using the "Prosocial Tendencies Measure" (Carlo and Randall, 2002). The researcher developed "Personal Information Form" to evaluate personal information of participants. The data was analyzed through Corelation, Multiple Regression Analysis and Amos. The results of the study revealed that there was a positive and significant relationship between wisdom, courage, humanity, transendence, justice and temperance. Furthermore, there was a negative and significant relationship between justice charachter strength, public and dire prosocial behavior. Another significant and negative relationship was found between public prosocial behavior; wisdom, courage, transendence, justice, humanity strengths and alturistic, anonymous, emotional, dire and compliant prosocial behaviors. It was revealed that justice, wisdom, courage strengths and compliant, dire, anonymous were the main determinants for moral judgement of young adults. The results of the Structural Equation Modeling that was conducted to find out whether or not the prosocial behaviors had an impact on the relationship between moral judgement and charachter strengths revealed that the prosocial behaviors was a partial mediator between wisdom, temperance, courage and justice strengths and moral judgement. In additionally prosocial behaviors was a full mediators on the relationship between moral judgement and humanity and transendence strengths. Key Words: Charachter strengths, moral judgement, prosocial behavior