Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41809751›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2026

An integrative head-heart-hands model of moral education: evidence from Chinese higher education.

Meng Wang, Norzihani Saharuddin, Maizura Yasin, Xu Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Meng WangFaculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Norzihani SaharuddinFaculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Maizura YasinFaculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Xu ChenFaculty of Educational Studies, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Traditional moral education often treats cognition, affect, and behavior as separate targets, limiting integration of knowing, feeling, and doing. This study examines a head-heart-hands (3H) moral education model and its implementation in a mandatory Chinese university course. Methods: We conducted a 19-week 3H-informed intervention in three parallel classes (total enrolment = 175) of an "Ideology, Morality and Rule of Law" course. The design was an action-research-informed qualitative case study. Data included classroom observations, student reflective journals, and semi-structured interviews with 12 focal students. Results: Thematic analysis found that students reported deeper contextualized moral reasoning and critical reflection (Head), stronger value-related resonance and empathy (Heart), and more sustained engagement in action-oriented practices (Hands). Across the semester, reasoning, affect, and action appeared to form a dynamic, recursive cycle of moral growth. Discussion: These exploratory findings suggest that aligning instructional activities with head, heart, and hands can support integrated moral learning. We discuss implications and boundary conditions for applying the 3H model in compulsory university moral education.

Indexed as

character educationChinese higher educationhead–heart–hands (3H)holistic educationmoral affectmoral behaviormoral cognitionmoral education

Identifiers

PMID41809751
PMCPMC12968217

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.