The aim in this research was to undertake a literature review of empirical studies about moral development produced in Brazil between the years 2000 and 2010. The search for articles was done in the Virtual Health Library, consulting different databases. Only papers published in psychology journals and fully available online were considered. Forty-eight papers were identified, analyzed based on two axes: (a) themes and (b) methods. The papers addressed themes like virtues, level of moral development, assessment of moral development measuring instruments, education and addictions. As regards the methods, qualitative, quantitative and qualitative-quantitative articles were identified. Among the qualitative studies, mainly interviews were used; in the quantitative publications, psychometric instruments, questionnaires and interviews were used; in the mixed studies, histories or dilemmas. These instruments were employed independently of the research method and the adopted theoretical approach.

O grupo focal é uma técnica de coleta de dados muito utilizada em pesquisa, predominantemente, no seu formato presencial. Nas últimas décadas, alguns grupos focais presenciais vêm migrando para o ambiente virtual. No entanto, a realização dos grupos focais por meio do uso de computadores e da internet gera uma série de especificidades. O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar e discutir como os pesquisadores do campo da psicologia têm utilizado os grupos focais online em seus estudos empíricos. A partir de uma revisão de artigos publicados entre 2001 e 2011, apresentam-se recomendações para o emprego dessa técnica, baseadas nas diversas particularidades relatadas pelos pesquisadores.

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar os significados que adolescentes associam aos homens e às mulheres no campo da sexualidade. Mais do que identificar a reprodução de padrões tradicionais de gênero, buscou-se evidenciar a negociação destes por parte dos adolescentes através de relativizações e questionamentos e da construção de novos significados. Para isso, analisou-se uma narrativa construída em interação por adolescentes, em um grupo focal on-line. A análise de posicionamento empreendida revelou que os padrões tradicionais de masculinidade e feminilidade foram reproduzidos, mas também relativizados, visto que se identificaram participantes do grupo e personagens da narrativa em posições pouco tradicionais para homens e mulheres.

The present article is a review of 26 studies on the sexual double standard. This phenomenon consists of different rules and standards of sexual behavior for men and women. Only scientific articles reporting empirical research published between 2001 and 2010 and available online in full were included. Our review was focused on the evidence of the existence of the sexual double standard and on the methods that have been used in the studies in this field. Most studies used quantitative methods based on scales or vignette tasks with a target to be evaluated by respondents. There was greater variability of results among the 6 studies using qualitative methods. These studies employed different interview techniques, focus groups and participant observation. There were also 2 studies reporting the use of mixed methods. The results of the studies showed that the sexual double standard still can be identified nowadays, although it seems that sexual behaviors and situations influenced by this phenomenon are changing. Today, premarital sex and sexual intercourse outside of committed relationships are more accepted for both genders. However, evaluations of other facets of sexuality continue to be based on different criteria for men and women.

Adolescence implicates redefinition of identity, including gender dimension. The goal of this research was to identify teenagers' conceptions about what it means to be a man and a woman through their own narratives. Forty-one teenagers, between 14 and 15 years old, who were students from a public school and from a private school both located in the city of Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil, participated in the study. Through the MSN chat software, 6 synchronous online focus groups were formed: 2 groups of male adolescents, 2 of female adolescents, and 2 of mixed genders. The narratives produced by the interaction in the groups were analyzed by Content Analysis that revealed a predominance of traditional gender roles.

A adolescência é um período de redefinição das identidades, incluindo a dimensão de gênero. O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer as concepções de adolescentes sobre o que é ser homem e ser mulher, a partir de suas próprias narrativas. Participaram 41 adolescentes, com idades entre os 14 e os 15 anos, estudantes de uma escola pública e de uma escola privada de Porto Alegre. Com eles, foram realizados 6 grupos focais on-line síncronos, através do programa de bate-papo MSN: 2 grupos compostos por adolescentes homens, 2 por adolescentes mulheres, e 2 mistos. As narrativas produzidas a partir da interação nos grupos foram analisadas mediante Análise de Conteúdo, que revelou uma predominância dos papéis tradicionais de gênero.Adolescence implicates redefinition of identity, including gender dimension. The goal of this research was to identify teenagers' conceptions about what it means to be a man and a woman through their own narratives. Forty-one teenagers, between 14 and 15 years old, who were students from a public school and from a private school both located in the city of Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil, participated in the study. Through the MSN chat software, 6 synchronous online focus groups were formed: 2 groups of male adolescents, 2 of female adolescents, and 2 of mixed genders. The narratives produced by the interaction in the groups were analyzed by Content Analysis that revealed a predominance of traditional gender roles.

Studies using computers and Internet to collect data are still unusual in the psychological qualitative research in Brazil. There are few researches, for instance, working with focus groups conducted via Internet, instead of using the classic face-to-face model. The technique of synchronous on-line focus groups, however, is not a mere transposition of traditional focus groups to the virtual environment. Introducing this new tool in the set of research procedures modifies the qualitative method because of its special features. It is important, then, to exemplify the use of this technique, highlighting its particularities, and thus to contribute to the progress of the qualitative research in psychology. This article describes the use that was made of synchronous on-line focus groups in a qualitative research, retrieving the steps taken and reporting its specificities.

No Brasil, ainda hoje são pouco comuns os trabalhos que utilizam o computador e a Internet para coletar dados na pesquisa qualitativa em psicologia. Poucos são os estudos, por exemplo, que trabalham com grupos focais realizados via Internet, ao invés de utilizarem o clássico formato presencial. A técnica dos grupos focais on-line síncronos, contudo, não consiste na mera transposição dos tradicionais grupos focais para o ambiente virtual. Essa nova ferramenta, ao ser introduzida no conjunto dos procedimentos de pesquisa, carrega consigo suas especificidades, modificando o método qualitativo. Cabe, então, divulgar o uso de tal técnica mostrando suas particularidades para, assim, contribuir para o avanço da pesquisa qualitativa em psicologia. Neste trabalho, descreve-se o uso que foi feito dos grupos focais on-line síncronos em uma pesquisa qualitativa, para recuperar as etapas realizadas e relatar as especificidades encontradas.

Aun hoy dia, los estudios que utilizan las computadoras y la Internet para recoger datos son poco comunes en la investigacion cualitativa en el Brasil. Hay pocas investigaciones, por ejemplo, que trabajan con grupos focales realizados a traves de Internet, en lugar de usar el clasico modelo presencial. La tecnica de grupos focales virtuales sincronicos, sin embargo, no es una mera transposicion de los grupos focales tradicionales para el entorno virtual. La introduccion de esta nueva herramienta en el conjunto de procedimientos de investigacion modifica el metodo cualitativo, por agregar a esto sus especificidades. Vale la pena, pues, ejemplificar el uso de esta tecnica, poniendo de relieve sus particularidades y contribuyendo, asi, al progreso de la investigacion cualitativa en psicologia. Este articulo describe la utilizacion que se hizo de los grupos focales virtuales sincronicos en un estudio cualitativo, informando las fases de su ejecucion y revelando sus especificidades.

Engaging in narratives is an important aspect of young children's development and should be encouraged by the preschool, since it involves communication, playfulness, socialization, and the construction of identity. This study investigates the context of and the conversational exchanges in children's construction of narratives during routine activities in a preschool class. Fourteen five- to six-year-old children and their educators participated in the study, using an ethnographic design to code narratives and their contexts of production. The results showed that children narrated mainly during informal moments, and less in the speaking opportunities elicited and supported by the teacher. The results suggest the need to listen more to the children and to stimulate more conversation among peers, in order to promote different narrative genres and styles during all moments of the school day.

Engaging in narratives is ail important aspect of young children's development and should he encouraged by the preschool, since it involves communication, playfulness, socialization, and the construction of identity. This Study investigates the context of and the conversational exchanges in children's construction of narratives during routine activities in a preschool class. Fourteen five- to six-year-old children and their educators participated in the study. using ail ethnographic design to code narratives and their contexts of production. The results showed that children narrated mainly during informal moments. and less in the speaking opportunities elicited and supported by the teacher. The results suggest the need to listen more to the children and to stimulate more conversation among peers. in order to promote different narrative genres and styles during all moments of the school day.