Compassion Analysis of Academic Personnel According to Their Moral Maturity Levels

Abstract

The relationship between academic personnel’s moral maturity and compassion levels, and whether or not this relationship differs by gender or membership to a non-governmental organization (NGO), were examined in this research. To this end, academics working at state universities around Turkey, selected using the convenience sampling method, were asked to complete an online personal information form prepared by the researchers. Compassion Scale revised by Demirci Seyrek, Ersanlı and Tunç (2016) and the Moral Maturity Scale developed by Şengün and Kaya (2007) were applied to the academics. The forms of 423 academics that answered the measurement forms were subjected to analysis. A positive relationship was found between the moral maturity levels and compassion and its subscales of sensitivity, empathy, understanding and humanitarianism. It was also concluded that prediction of the compassion levels by the moral maturity levels did not differ by either gender or membership of an NGO.

Keywords: academic personnel, compassion, moral maturity