Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning

Preconventional Level: Stage 1

• Based on fear of punishment

Preconventional Level: Stage 2

• Based on satisfying personal needs (self-interest) or on fair exchange (“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”)

Conventional Level: Stage 3

• Based on maintaining approval of family and friends

Conventional Level: Stage 4

• Based on fulfilling one’s duties and upholding laws

– Laws need to be obeyed or duties need to be fulfilled in order to avoid a “breakdown” in the social system

Postconventional Level: Stages 5 and 6

• Based on universal principles of justice (e.g., equality of human rights, respect for the dignity of each human being)

• May conflict with existing laws

Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Theory

• Moral reasoning may not be discontinuous

– Individuals who are capable of reasoning at more advanced stages may also engage in reasoning at less advanced stages

• Neglects the role of culture in moral reasoning

– Kohlberg’s scoring system is biased toward individual rights

• Some cultures place greater value on the good of the community than on individual rights—does not mean they’re less morally advanced

• Focuses too much on moral reasoning and not enough on actual behavior

– Level of moral reasoning and moral behavior are correlated, but the correlation is not that strong

– People often reason at a lower level about real-life moral dilemmas than hypothetical dilemmas