Lawrence KohlbergLawrence Kohlberg

moral reasoning is the basis moral reasoning is the basis for for ethicalethical behavior behavior

Six Stages of Moral Six Stages of Moral ReasoningReasoning

– Level 1 (Pre-Conventional)Level 1 (Pre-Conventional) – 1. Obedience and punishment orientation 1. Obedience and punishment orientation

((How can I avoid punishment?How can I avoid punishment?) ) – 2. Self-interest orientation 2. Self-interest orientation

((What's in it for me?What's in it for me?) )

– Level 2 (Conventional)Level 2 (Conventional) – 3. Interpersonal accord and conformity 3. Interpersonal accord and conformity

((The good boy/good girl attitudeThe good boy/good girl attitude) ) – 4. Authority and social-order maintaining orientation 4. Authority and social-order maintaining orientation

((Law and order moralityLaw and order morality) )

– Level 3 (Post-Conventional)Level 3 (Post-Conventional) – 5. Social contract orientation 5. Social contract orientation – 6. Universal ethical principles 6. Universal ethical principles

((Principled consciencePrincipled conscience) )

The Heinz DilemmaThe Heinz Dilemma A woman was near death from a special kind of A woman was near death from a special kind of cancercancer. .

There was one drug that the doctors thought might save There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of her. It was a form of radiumradium that a druggist in the same that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ 1,000, which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that 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 his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the him pay later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So Heinz got 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 desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife.for his wife.

Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?drug for his wife? Why or why not?[5][5]

Stage one (Stage one (obedienceobedience) )

Heinz should not steal the medicine Heinz should not steal the medicine because he will consequently be put because he will consequently be put in prison which will mean he is a bad in prison which will mean he is a bad person. Or: Heinz should steal the person. Or: Heinz should steal the medicine because it is only worth medicine because it is only worth $200 and not how much the druggist $200 and not how much the druggist wanted for it; Heinz had even offered wanted for it; Heinz had even offered to pay for it and was not stealing to pay for it and was not stealing anything else. anything else.

Stage two (Stage two (self-interestself-interest) )

Heinz should steal the medicine Heinz should steal the medicine because he will be much happier if because he will be much happier if he saves his wife, even if he will have he saves his wife, even if he will have to serve a prison sentence. Or: Heinz to serve a prison sentence. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine should not steal the medicine because prison is an awful place, and because prison is an awful place, and he would probably languish over a he would probably languish over a jail cell more than his wife's death. jail cell more than his wife's death.

Stage three (Stage three (conformityconformity) )

Heinz should steal the medicine Heinz should steal the medicine because his wife expects it; he wants because his wife expects it; he wants to be a good husband. Or: Heinz to be a good husband. Or: Heinz should not steal the drug because should not steal the drug because stealing is bad and he is not a stealing is bad and he is not a criminal; he tried to do everything he criminal; he tried to do everything he could without breaking the law, you could without breaking the law, you cannot blame him. cannot blame him.

Stage four (Stage four (law-and-orderlaw-and-order) )

Heinz should not steal the medicine Heinz should not steal the medicine because the law prohibits stealing, because the law prohibits stealing, making it illegal. Or: Heinz should steal making it illegal. Or: Heinz should steal the drug for his wife but also take the the drug for his wife but also take the prescribed punishment for the crime as prescribed punishment for the crime as well as paying the druggist what he is well as paying the druggist what he is owed. Criminals cannot just run around owed. Criminals cannot just run around without regard for the law; actions without regard for the law; actions have consequences. have consequences.

Stage five (Stage five (human rightshuman rights) )

Heinz should steal the medicine Heinz should steal the medicine because everyone has a right to because everyone has a right to choose life, regardless of the law. Or: choose life, regardless of the law. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine Heinz should not steal the medicine because the scientist has a right to because the scientist has a right to fair compensation. Even if his wife is fair compensation. Even if his wife is sick, it does not make his actions sick, it does not make his actions right. right.

Stage six (Stage six (universal human universal human ethicsethics) )

Heinz should steal the medicine, Heinz should steal the medicine, because saving a human life is a because saving a human life is a more fundamental value than the more fundamental value than the property rights of another person. Or: property rights of another person. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine, Heinz should not steal the medicine, because others may need the because others may need the medicine just as badly, and their medicine just as badly, and their lives are equally significant. lives are equally significant.

AssumptionsAssumptions

Moral judgment is not based on infant Moral judgment is not based on infant development but on later cognitive development but on later cognitive development.development.

Morality = Justice and fairness. This Morality = Justice and fairness. This developmental understanding is developmental understanding is cognitive not emotional.cognitive not emotional.

Individuals can tell the difference Individuals can tell the difference between action, intent and between action, intent and consequences.consequences.

Problem of StudyProblem of Study

Study and explain the cognitive Study and explain the cognitive ontogeny of moral reasoningontogeny of moral reasoning– Not interested inNot interested in

ImmoralityImmorality Forms of jurisprudence (trial by jury)Forms of jurisprudence (trial by jury) Social conformity (obedience, honesty, etc.)Social conformity (obedience, honesty, etc.)

Method of StudyMethod of Study

Method of StudyMethod of Study– Moral Dilemmas followed by extensive Moral Dilemmas followed by extensive

interviewinterview This was the Piagetian influenceThis was the Piagetian influence He believed that Piaget under estimated the He believed that Piaget under estimated the

social contextsocial context

Internal PrinciplesInternal Principles

Cognitive Conflict Cognitive Conflict – The more experience we have with The more experience we have with

moral dilemmas the more likely we are moral dilemmas the more likely we are to discern appropriate solutions.to discern appropriate solutions.

Cognitive DevelopmentCognitive Development– Moral judgments are a direct Moral judgments are a direct

relative of the cognitive operation from relative of the cognitive operation from which the individual is operating.which the individual is operating.

Internal Principles cont.Internal Principles cont.

Role Taking AbilityRole Taking Ability– Individuals who are capable of assuming Individuals who are capable of assuming

roles have a higher potential for moral roles have a higher potential for moral development.development.

Bridge PrinciplesBridge Principles

Preconventional Preconventional ‑‑

Stage 1 Stage 1 PersonalPersonal andand ObedienceObedience OrientationOrientation

Good or bad depends upon whether a person is punished Good or bad depends upon whether a person is punished or rewarded ‑‑ or rewarded ‑‑ Spilled Milk dilemmaSpilled Milk dilemma

Stage 2 Stage 2 IndividualisticIndividualistic MoralityMorality Based upon self wants and needs ‑‑ You help me and I'll help Based upon self wants and needs ‑‑ You help me and I'll help

youyou

ConventionalConventional ‑ ‑ FairnessFairness

Stage 3 Stage 3 InterpersonalInterpersonal RelationsRelations andand ConformityConformityJustice is determined by ones peer group and a desire to Justice is determined by ones peer group and a desire to please important peopleplease important people

Stage 4 Stage 4 MoralityMorality andand ConscienceConscience ‑‑ LawLaw andand orderorder Fulfilling contractual obligations. Following laws because Fulfilling contractual obligations. Following laws because they are necessary for order to be maintained.they are necessary for order to be maintained.

Post Conventional Post Conventional ‑‑ Moral Thinking (The ‑‑ Moral Thinking (The Golden Rule)Golden Rule)

Stage 5 Stage 5 MoralityMorality ofof SocialSocial ContractContract ‑‑ IndividualIndividual RightsRights Concern for values and moral issues underlie the formation Concern for values and moral issues underlie the formation of laws, thus, they may be challenged. They still may be of laws, thus, they may be challenged. They still may be obeyed but they may be questioned.obeyed but they may be questioned.

Stage 6 Stage 6 UniversalUniversal EthicalEthical Principles Principles Self Chosen Principles. When laws go against these Self Chosen Principles. When laws go against these principles it becomes your duty to violate them ‑ used by principles it becomes your duty to violate them ‑ used by virtually no one ‑virtually no one ‑

Change MechanismChange Mechanism

CognitiveCognitive ConflictConflict

Through cognitive conflict individuals Through cognitive conflict individuals synthesize competing claims, synthesize competing claims, expectations, and expectations, and principles to principles to construct a principle that resolves or construct a principle that resolves or an least minimizes the conflict. (We an least minimizes the conflict. (We learn from dilemmas and other learn from dilemmas and other views)views)

School ApplicationsSchool Applications Kohlberg and schoolsKohlberg and schools -- Unlike Piaget, Kohlberg -- Unlike Piaget, Kohlberg

was interested in how schools could enhance was interested in how schools could enhance moral development. moral development.

It is the process rather than the content of the It is the process rather than the content of the program. program. Students learn to be more moral by Students learn to be more moral by listening to others who arelistening to others who are. .

Schools which are more democratic (open Schools which are more democratic (open schools) have better results than schools which schools) have better results than schools which are more traditional. are more traditional.

SSuccess is more likely at pre-conventional and uccess is more likely at pre-conventional and conventionaconventional (2,3,4) than at post conventional l (2,3,4) than at post conventional levels. Like formal (consolidated) few people levels. Like formal (consolidated) few people reach this stage. reach this stage.