Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

AA moral philosopher and student of moral philosopher and student of child development. He is director of child development. He is director of Harvard's Center for Moral Education. Harvard's Center for Moral Education. His special area of interest is the His special area of interest is the moral development of childrenmoral development of children - - how how they develop a sense of right, wrong, they develop a sense of right, wrong, and justice. and justice.

Lawrence KohlbergLawrence Kohlbergborn: 1927born: 1927

Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

KolKolhhberg has focused on berg has focused on moral development and has moral development and has proposed a proposed a stage theory of stage theory of moral thinkingmoral thinking which goes which goes well beyond Piaget's initial well beyond Piaget's initial formulations. formulations.

Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning is a Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning is a stage theory. In other words, everyone goes stage theory. In other words, everyone goes through the stages sequentially without through the stages sequentially without skipping any stage. However, movement skipping any stage. However, movement through these stages are not natural, that is through these stages are not natural, that is people do not automatically move from one people do not automatically move from one stage to the next as they mature. stage to the next as they mature.

Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

In stage development, movement is In stage development, movement is effected when when a person notices effected when when a person notices inadequacies in his or her present way inadequacies in his or her present way of coping with a given moral dilemma.of coping with a given moral dilemma.

Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

Kohlberg's scale has to do with Kohlberg's scale has to do with moral moral thinkingthinking,, not not moral actionmoral action.. As everyone As everyone knows, people who can talk at a high moral knows, people who can talk at a high moral level may not behave accordingly. level may not behave accordingly. Consequently, we would not expect perfect Consequently, we would not expect perfect correlations between moral judgment and correlations between moral judgment and moral action. Still, Kohlberg thinks that moral action. Still, Kohlberg thinks that there should be some relationship.there should be some relationship.

Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral Kolhberg’s Theory of Moral DevelopmentDevelopment

But according to But according to this this stage theory, people stage theory, people cannot understand moral reasoning more cannot understand moral reasoning more than one stage ahead of their own. than one stage ahead of their own.

For example,For example, a person in Stage 1 can a person in Stage 1 can understand Stage 2 reasoning but nothing understand Stage 2 reasoning but nothing beyond that. Therefore, we should present beyond that. Therefore, we should present moral arguments that are only one stage moral arguments that are only one stage ahead of a person's present level of ahead of a person's present level of reasoning to stimulate movement to higher reasoning to stimulate movement to higher stages.stages.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Pre-conventional MoralityPre-conventional Morality1. Obedience – Punishment Orientation1. Obedience – Punishment Orientation2. Personal Reward Orientation2. Personal Reward Orientation

Conventional MoralityConventional Morality3. The “good boy/good girl” Orientation3. The “good boy/good girl” Orientation4. The “Law and Order” Orientation4. The “Law and Order” Orientation

Post-conventional MoralityPost-conventional Morality5. Social Contract Orientation5. Social Contract Orientation6. Conscience Orientation6. Conscience Orientation

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Pre-conventional MoralityPre-conventional MoralityStage 1:Stage 1: Punishment-Obedience OrientationPunishment-Obedience Orientation

The person's behavior is mainly governed The person's behavior is mainly governed by by

deference to superior power.deference to superior power. He doesn’t question this power, his concern He doesn’t question this power, his concern is is

to to avoid (physical) punishmentavoid (physical) punishment. . Physical effectsPhysical effects of an action determine of an action determine

whether its good or bad act.whether its good or bad act.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Example: Example:

A child may not cheat in a game with his A child may not cheat in a game with his big big brother because of what his brother brother because of what his brother may do may do to him if he is caught.to him if he is caught.

He doest not avoid cheating because he He doest not avoid cheating because he values honest behavior.values honest behavior.

The person thinks its okay to cheat so The person thinks its okay to cheat so long long as you don’t get caughtas you don’t get caught

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Pre-conventional MoralityPre-conventional MoralityStage 2:Stage 2: Personal Reward/Interest Personal Reward/Interest

OrientationOrientation

In this stage, a person is slightly more In this stage, a person is slightly more developed. He considers right action to developed. He considers right action to

be anything that satisfies his personal be anything that satisfies his personal needs, or sometimes the needs of others. needs, or sometimes the needs of others. ““You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” is the standard of moral practice.is the standard of moral practice.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

He is willing to share equally with He is willing to share equally with another another person, but for his own sake.person, but for his own sake.

He has begun to develop a sense of He has begun to develop a sense of fairness, fairness, but for practical and pragmatic but for practical and pragmatic reasons.reasons.

He does not grasp yet the universal He does not grasp yet the universal principle principle of justice for all men. His concern is of justice for all men. His concern is still still primarily with getting his share.primarily with getting his share.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Conventional MoralityConventional MoralityStage 3:Stage 3: The “good boy/good girl” OrientationThe “good boy/good girl” Orientation

At the conventional level, the person’s At the conventional level, the person’s behavior is oriented toward pleasing behavior is oriented toward pleasing

others.others. His concern is finding acceptance.His concern is finding acceptance. He seeks approval by being nice.He seeks approval by being nice. The important rule of behavior for the The important rule of behavior for the person person

in this level is his intention.in this level is his intention.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Conventional MoralityConventional MoralityStage 4:Stage 4: A “Law and Order” OrientationA “Law and Order” Orientation

The person’s behavior in this level The person’s behavior in this level focuses onfocuses on

doing one’s duty.doing one’s duty. He is loyal to existing authority.He is loyal to existing authority. He obeys the laws and promotes keeping He obeys the laws and promotes keeping the the

established order.established order. He finds self-respect in fulfilling his He finds self-respect in fulfilling his obligations.obligations.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

His level of respect for others is based upon His level of respect for others is based upon his ability to contribute to the established his ability to contribute to the established system for its own sake.system for its own sake.

He may admit the existing system has flaws He may admit the existing system has flaws but only because everyone isn’t doing his but only because everyone isn’t doing his duty.duty.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Post-conventional MoralityPost-conventional MoralityStage 5:Stage 5: Social Contract OrientationSocial Contract Orientation

Finally at the Post-conventional level, we Finally at the Post-conventional level, we find a more find a more developed moral behavior emerge. The developed moral behavior emerge. The person begins to describe right action in person begins to describe right action in terms of what society has critically terms of what society has critically examined and agreed to.examined and agreed to. The person carries with him some of his The person carries with him some of his stage four sensitivities about one’s duty stage four sensitivities about one’s duty toward the system.toward the system.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

But now he works not simply to But now he works not simply to maintain maintain status quo: he may work to change status quo: he may work to change the law the law for the sake of the society.for the sake of the society.

The person is aware of the fact that The person is aware of the fact that people people hold a variety of values and opinionshold a variety of values and opinions..

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Aside from what the majority has Aside from what the majority has democratically agreed upon, right or wrong democratically agreed upon, right or wrong behavior is a matter of personal opinion.behavior is a matter of personal opinion.

In this stage, the person’s level of moral In this stage, the person’s level of moral thinking is oriented toward majority rule, thinking is oriented toward majority rule, but his rule is not frozen as in the stage but his rule is not frozen as in the stage four person’s disposition.four person’s disposition.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Post-conventional MoralityPost-conventional MoralityStage 6:Stage 6: Conscience OrientationConscience Orientation

In this stage, the person makes decisions In this stage, the person makes decisions of conscience and is guided by self – of conscience and is guided by self – chosen ethical principle. chosen ethical principle. He holds these principles even if it means He holds these principles even if it means going against the rule of the majority.going against the rule of the majority. The person operates according to the The person operates according to the universal ethical principles of justice, universal ethical principles of justice, equality of human life, and respect for the equality of human life, and respect for the dignity of human being as individual dignity of human being as individual person.person.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

The person in this level, is guided mainly The person in this level, is guided mainly by ethical principles in contract to by ethical principles in contract to concrete moral rules such as those spelled concrete moral rules such as those spelled out buy the Ten Commandments.out buy the Ten Commandments.

Example: Example: A person may steal medicine, to A person may steal medicine, to give it to someone who would die without give it to someone who would die without it. it. The value of human life is greater than The value of human life is greater than the financial gain.the financial gain. The person has become progressively The person has become progressively disentangled from property values or disentangled from property values or social standing. This person shows the social standing. This person shows the greatest capacity for moral behavior.greatest capacity for moral behavior.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

After hearing about these stages After hearing about these stages of moral maturity, one cannot help of moral maturity, one cannot help but wonder what stage he is at but wonder what stage he is at personally personally It should be pointed out that a It should be pointed out that a person who is capable of Level Six person who is capable of Level Six behavior might not operate at that behavior might not operate at that level in all of his actions.level in all of his actions.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

It is important to keep in mind that a It is important to keep in mind that a person operates at a person operates at a variety of variety of levelslevels. . Equally important to remember is Equally important to remember is that a person advances from one that a person advances from one stage to another sequentially-in stage to another sequentially-in order. Just as a child doest not order. Just as a child doest not become an adult without passing become an adult without passing through adolescence, so must a through adolescence, so must a person before reaching Stage Six person before reaching Stage Six must pass through Stage Four and must pass through Stage Four and Five.Five.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Pre-conventional Morality Pre-conventional Morality 

I will do what I am supposed I will do what I am supposed to do to do iin order to avoid n order to avoid punishment. punishment.     

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Conventional MoralityConventional Morality  

I will do what I a supposed to I will do what I a supposed to do as things work out better do as things work out better when everyone follows the when everyone follows the rules. rules.

Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Kolhberg’s Six Stages of Moral MaturityMoral Maturity

Post-conventional Morality Post-conventional Morality 

I will do (or wont do) what I am I will do (or wont do) what I am supposed to do because I think supposed to do because I think ( or don’t think) it is the right ( or don’t think) it is the right thing to do. thing to do.