Research and theory around emotional and moral development is complex. There’s no one simple formula for how a person grows a moral conscience. But it seems as if helping kids discern what they should do really comes down to one simple factor—understanding their motive. It’s not education. In fact, research has shown again and again that “simple memorization and recitation have little effect on behavior.”5 In other words, simply knowing rules for good behavior isn’t enough. It’s not observation.