THE MORALS IN THE CHANGING COMMUNITIES

The diff of community morals in 2 small communities on diff levels of Ur'ization are outlined. One is a Ru community in transition to a residential suburb; the 2nd is a housing project in a large city. An exp'al approach to morals as a means to soc control is viewed as enforcing conformity to a behavioral pattern which society approves of. Such an enforcement is most apparent in a situation in which the individual has to choose between 2 conflicting behavioral patterns. The pattern thus chosen will become the soc norm. Society members are willing to conform since in many cases they regard conformity as beneficial In such cases, soc norms are considered the morals. Housewives in the 2 communities were interviewed re 10 situations of conflicting behavioral pattern, with the following 3 questions for each situation: (a) What behavior would the community members choose in such a situation? (b) Which choice would be morally better? (c) Which choice would you make? The soc pattern prevalent in the community will be reflected by the answers to question (c), & answers to question (a) will offer additional information on the morals of the community as seen through the eyes of housewives. The consistency in answer to questions (c) & (b) reveal the degree of morality this norm has in the community. It was found that: (1) Most women think they can tell children who are not their own to behave themselves. This norm receives the highest degree of unanimity in both communities. (2) Most resistant to change are those morals dealing with fam succession even at the sacrifice of personal wishes, & superstitious ideas even to the detriment of filial affection. (3) To choose a mate against the parents' wishes & to tell the truth re neighbors will be practiced more with the advancement of Ur'ization. (4) With greater Ur'ization, the resentment against the defensive att of silence in the presence of authority will also be greater. Modified HA.