Download Theory of Moral Development

Theory of Moral
Development
Lawrence Kohlberg
• Lawrence Kohlberg (a professor at
Harvard University) became famous for his
early work in the early 70s and know for
his theory of moral development.
• He believed and
• w
• as a ble to demonstrate through studies
that p eople progressed in their moral
reasoning through a series of stages.
• Basically his study consisted of
interviewing children, adolescents, and
adults and presenting them with stories
where the main character faced a moral
dilemma.
• Best known dilemma – “Heinz case”
What do you think?
•
Answer the following questions…
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
2. Why was what he did right or wrong?
• Kohlberg was not interested in the
answers that were given, but rather in the
reasoning process by which the subjects
arrived at their judgment.
• Internalization – the developmental
change from behaviour that is externally
controlled to behaviour that is controlled
by internal, self-generated standards and
principles.
• According to Kohlberg, he
argued that as we develop
intellectually we pass
through as many as six
stages of moral reasoning.
• These six stages are
divided into three basic
levels.
Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
Development
Level One: Preconventional Reasoning
• Lowest level of moral development
• Child show no internalization of moral
values – controlled by external rewards
and punishments.
Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience
Orientation (spanking)
• At this stage moral
thinking is based on
punishment
• Children obey
because adults tell
them to obey.
• Therefore ~ Good or
bad is seen in terms
of obeying authority
and avoiding
punishment.
Stage 2: Individualism and Purpose
• Also known as Personal
Reward/Personal Usefulness
(lollipop)
• Moral thinking is based on
rewards and self-interest.
• Children obey when they want
to obey and when it is their
best interest to obey.
• What is right is what feels good
and what is rewarding.
Level Two: Conventional Reasoning
• 2nd level of moral development
• Child abides by certain standers (internal),
but they are standards of others (external),
such as parents or the laws of society.
Stage 3: Interpersonal Norms
(Pleasing Others – Good Boy/Girl)
• Children value trust, caring and loyalty to
others as the basis of moral judgments.
• Children often adopt their parents’ moral
standards at this stage, seeking to be
thought of by their parents as a “good girl”
or a “good boy”
• Right and wrong depends on what makes
other people happy or unhappy.
• If everyone does it…than okay; if everyone
says it’s wrong that it’s wrong for me too.
• Stage 3 tends to be the peer pressure
stage where moral decisions are made
based on the idea of “what will cause
others to accept or reject me”
Stage 4: Social System Morality
(It’s your duty ~ law and order)
• Moral judgment is based on
understanding the social order,
law, justice, duty.
• Right is what the law says is
right.
• No room for making a decision
because a law already exists
for a given situation which was
developed for the common
good.
Level Three: Postconventional Reasoning
• Highest level
• Morality is completely internalized and not
based on others’ standards.
• The person recognizes alternative moral
course, explores the options, and then
decides on a personal moral code.
Stage 5: Community rights versus Individual
Rights
• Also known as “Social Contract (Civil
Disobedience – Conscience)”
• The person understands that values and laws are
relative and that standards may vary from one
person to another.
• Laws are important to society but can be
changed.
• Individual believes what is right is what is good
for the rest of society – common good is the goal.
• Laws are necessary to protect the rights of
everyone.
Stage 6: Universal Ethical
Principles (Personal Conscience)
• Also known as the loving stage
• One has developed a moral standard
based on universal human rights
• When faced with conflict between law and
conscience, the person will follow
conscience, even though the decision
might involve personal risk.
• Welfare of all persons – Greatest Good
For All Humanity.