kohlberg's stages of moral development

Bicol University

College Of Education

Daraga, Albay

Kohlberg’s Stages

of

Moral Development

ACTIVITY

Lawrence Kohlberg

An informal, unassuming man who is a true

scholar.

Born in 1927 and grew up in Bronxville, New

York.

Attended Andover Academy in Massachusetts

(high school)

Became second Engineer on an old freighter

carrying refugees from parts of Europe to Israel.

Enrolled in University of Chicago in 1948.

Stayed in Chicago for graduate work in

psychology.

Taught in both psychology and philosophy.

Taught in University of Chicago (1962-1968).

Also taught at Harvard University since 1968.

Became interested in Piaget and began

interviewing children and adolescents on moral

issues.

Believe that people progress in their ability to

reason morally through six stages, with three

levels largely by social interactions.

Moral Development

Moral development focuses on the emergence,

change, and understanding of morality from

infancy through adulthood. (Wikipedia)

Moral development is a process through which a

child develops proper attitudes or behaviours

towards the other people in the society, based on

various things such as social and cultural norms,

laws and rules.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality

Moral development is every parent's concern

because parents have the responsibility to teach a

child to distinguish between what is right and

wrong and then behave accordingly.

Moral development refers to the gaining of

values from past experience of learning, thus

enabling one to think and act responsibly,

courageously and compassionately towards

oneself, society and the environment.

Heinz Steals the Drug (Heinz Dilemma)

In Europe, 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 make. 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. Should the husband

have done that? (Kohlberg, 1963, p. 19)

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral

Development

Pre-conventional Level

Moral reasoning is based on the consequences

or result of the act, not on whether the act itself

is good or bad.

a. Stage 1 (Punishment & Obedience

Orientation)

b. Stage 2 (Mutual Benefit or Individualism

& Exchange)


Stage 1 (Punishment & Obedience Orientation)

One is motivated by the fear of punishment.

See rules as fixed and absolute.

Obeying rules is important because it is a means to avoid

punishment.

“Yes I will tell our parents. Because if they found out

later that I know, for sure they will get angry & most

likely punish me.”

“No, I will not tell because Ryan will make my life

miserable & also punish me for telling.”


Stage 2 (Mutual Benefit or Individualism &

Exchange)

One is motivated to act by the benefit that one may

obtain later.

People account for individual points of view and judge

actions based on how they serve individual needs.

“Yes. I will tell our parents because they will reward me

for it. I will subtly ask for that new IPod that I’m wishing

to have.”

“No. I will not tell. Ryan will surely grant me a lot of

favors for not telling. He’ll not also squeal on me.”


Development

Conventional Level

Moral reasoning is based on the conventions

or “norms” of society. This may include

approval of others, law and order.

a. Stage 3 (Social Approval or Good

Interpersonal Relationship)

b. Stage 4 (Law & Order or Maintaining

Social Order)

Stage 3 (Social Approval or Good Interpersonal

Relationship)

One is motivated of what others expect in behavior –

good boy, good girl. The person acts because he or she

values how he or she will appear to others.

There is an emphasis on conformity, being “nice”, &

consideration of how choices influence relationship.

“Yes. I will tell so my parents will think I am such an

honest boy.”

“No. I will not tell. Ryan will think of me as a really cool

brother!”

Conventional Level

Conventional Level

Stage 4 (Law & Order or Maintaining Social Order)

One is motivated to act in order to uphold law and order.

People consider society as a whole when making

judgments.

Focuses on maintaining law and order by following rules,

doing one’s duty & respecting authority.

“Yes I will tell because we should follow the rules that our

parents say.”

“No, because it’s been our rule to keep each other’s

secrets.”


Development

Post-conventional Level

Moral reasoning is based on enduring or

consistent principles. It is not just recognizing

the law, but the principles behind the law.

a. Stage 5 (Social Contract & Individual

Rights)

b. Stage 6 (Universal Principles)


Stage 5 (Social Contract & Individual Rights)

Laws that are wrong can be changed.

One will act based on social justice and the common good.

People begin to account for the differing values, opinions

and disbeliefs of other people.

Rules of law are important for maintaining a society, but

members of the society should agree upon these standards.

“Yes I will tell because he might be hurt or get in trouble

& his welfare is the top most priority.”

“No. He is big enough to question my parents’ decision

not to let him go.”


Stage 6 (Universal Principles)

This is associated with the development of one’s

conscience. Having a set of standards that drives one to

possess moral responsibility to make societal changes

regardless of consequences to oneself.

Based upon universal ethical principles & abstract

reasoning.

People follow these internalized principles of justice,

even if they conflict with laws and rules.

“Yes. I will tell because lying is always wrong & I

want to be true to what I believe in.”

“No. I believe brothers watch out for each other.

If he trusted me with this, I should stay true to him

& not say anything.”

Summary

At Stage 1(Punishment & Obedience

Orientation), children/people think of what is right

as that which authority says is right. Doing the right

thing is obeying authority and avoiding punishment.

At Stage 2 (Mutual Benefit or Individualism &

Exchange), children/people are no longer so

impressed by any single authority; they see that

there are different sides to any issue. Since

everything is relative, one is free to pursue one's

own interests, although it is often useful to make

deals and exchange favors with others.

Summary

At Conventional Level, young people think as

members of the conventional society with its values,

norms, and expectations.

At Stage 3 (Social Approval or Good

Interpersonal Relationship), they emphasize being

a good person, which basically means having

helpful motives toward people close to one.

At Stage 4 (Law & Order or Maintaining Social

Order), the concern shifts toward obeying laws to

maintain society as a whole.

Summary

At Post-conventional Level, people are less

concerned with maintaining society for its own

sake, and more concerned with the principles and

values that make for a good society.

At Stage 5 (Social Contract & Individual

Rights), they emphasize basic rights and the

democratic processes that give everyone a say.

At Stage 6 (Universal Principles), they define

the principles by which agreement will be most

just.