Kohlberg’s Theory
of Moral
Development
Moral Development
🞂 Moraldevelopment
is the gradual
development of an
individuals concept
of right or wrong –
conscious, religious
values, social
attitudes and
certain behaviour.
Moral Dilemmas
🞂 Social issues with 2+
solutions
Complete the Robin Hood Moral Dilemma:
Kohlberg's theory
🞂 This theory is a stage theory. In other words, everyone goes
through
the stages sequentially without skipping any stage.
🞂 However, movement through these stages are not natural,
that is people do not automatically move from one stage to
the next as they mature. In stage development, movement
occurs when a person notices inadequacies in his or her
present way of coping with a given moral dilemma.
🞂 According to stage theory, people cannot understand moral
reasoning more than one stage ahead of their own. For
example, a person in Stage 1 can understand Stage 2
reasoning but nothing beyond that.
Kohlberg’s Six Stages
Pre-Conventional Moral
Development
Stage 1
Stage 2
Conventional Moral Development
Stage 3
Stage 4
Post-Conventional Moral
Development
Stage 5
Stage 6
Level 1: Preconventional Morality 0-9 years
Stage 1 - Obedience and Punishment
Especially common in young children, but adults are capable of expressing this
type of
reasoning. At this stage, children see rules as fixed and absolute.
🞂 Obeys rules in order to avoid punishment
🞂 Determines a sense of right and wrong by what is punished and what is not
punished
🞂 Obeys superior authority and allows that authority to make the rules,
especially if that authority has the power to inflict pain
🞂 Is responsive to rules that will affect his/her physical well-being
Stage 2 – Naively egotistical
At this stage of moral development, children account for individual points of
view and judge actions based on how they serve individual needs. Reciprocity is
possible, but only if it serves one's own interests.
🞂 Is motivated by vengeance or “an eye for an eye” philosophy
🞂 Is self-absorbed while assuming that he/she is generous
🞂 Believes in equal sharing in that everyone gets the same, regardless of need
🞂 Believes that the end justifies the means
🞂 Will do a favor only to get a favor
🞂 Expects to be rewarded for every non-selfish deed he/she does
Level 2: Conventional Morality 10-15 years
Stage 3 - "good boy-good girl" orientation,
This stage of moral development is focused on living up to social
expectations and roles. There is an emphasis on conformity, being
"nice," and consideration of how choices influence relationships.
🞂 Finds peer approval very important
🞂 Feels that intensions are as important as deeds and expects others to
accept
intentions or promises in place of deeds
🞂 Begins to put himself/herself in another’s shoes and think from another
perspective
Stage 4 – Law and Social Order
At this stage of moral development, people begin to consider
society as a whole when making judgments. The focus is on
maintaining law and order by following the rules, doing one’s duty,
and respecting authority.
🞂 Is a duty doer who believes in rigid rules that should not be changed
Level 3: Postconventional Morality – 16+
Stage 5 - Legalistic Social Contract
At this stage, people begin to account for the differing values, opinions,
and beliefs of other people. Rules of law are important for maintaining a
society, but members of the society should agree upon these standards.
🞂 Ismotivated by the belief in the greatest amount of good for the greatest number
of people
🞂 Believes in consensus (everyone agrees), rather than in majority rule
🞂 Respects the rights of the minority especially the rights of the individual
🞂 Believes that change in the law is possible but only through the system
Stage 6 – Universal ethical Principles
Kolhberg’s final level of moral reasoning is based upon universal ethical
principles and abstract reasoning. At this stage, people follow these
internalized principles of justice, even if they conflict with laws and
rules.
🞂 Believes that there are high moral principles than those represented by
social rules and customs
🞂 Is willing to accept the consequences for disobedience of the social rule
he/she has rejected
The Heinz Dilemma:
A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that
the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist
in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make,
but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to produce. He
paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The
sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money,
but he could only get together about $1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told
the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him
pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make
money from it." So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal
the drug for his wife.
What would you do?
Criticisms of Kohlberg's
Theory of Moral Development:
🞂 Does moral reasoning necessarily lead to moral behavior?
Kohlberg's theory is concerned with moral thinking, but there is a
big difference between knowing what we ought to do versus our
actual actions.
🞂
🞂 Is justice the only aspect of moral reasoning we should consider?
Critics have pointed out that Kohlberg's theory of moral
development overemphasizes the concept as justice when
making moral choices. Other factors such as compassion,
caring, and other interpersonal feelings may play an important
part in moral reasoning.
🞂
🞂 Does Kohlberg's theory overemphasize Western philosophy?
Individualistic cultures emphasize personal rights while
collectivist cultures stress the importance of society and
community. Eastern cultures may have different moral outlooks
that Kohlberg's theory does not account for.
Watch the Heinz
Dilemma
Name Stage of Development Reasoning
Alex
Old Man
Little Boy
Lady
Lady 2
Shane
Read Angie’s Wish in text
🞂 Complete LEARNING ACTIVITY 5.28
LEARNING ACTIVITY 5.31
🞂 Forthe following moral dilemma, describe a
response which might be given by someone in
each of the first four stages of Kohlberg's theory.
🞂 Jill
goes shopping one day with her best friend, Sujatha.
Sujatha tries on a jumper and walks out of the shop
wearing it under her jacket. Jill is left to face the store's
security person who insists that Jill names Sujatha and
gives Sujatha's address. The manager of the store tells Jill
she will be in serious trouble if she does not disclose
Sujatha's name and address. What should Jill do?
