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Lawerence Kohlberg: Theory of Moral Development: Consists of three levels and six stages in
which people progress as they develop their moral framework.
The first level, the preconventional or premoral level, is described by giving priority to selfinterest. Typically people experience this level from ages 4 to 10. It assumes that moral decisions
are made based on external standards. Behavior is governed on whether a child will receive a
reward or punishment. The first stage in this level is focused on avoiding punishment. Children
do what they are told to in order to avoid negative consequences. The second stage focuses on
rewards instead on punishment. In other words, children do the “right” thing in order to receive a
reward or compensation. Sometimes this involves an exchange of favors: “I’ll scratch your back
if you’ll scratch mine.”
Level 2, the conventional level, moral thought is based on conforming to conventional roles.
Occasionally, this level occurs from ages 10 to 13. There is a urgent need to please others and to
receive social approval. Behavior is governed by conforming to social expectations.
Consideration of moral standards have begun to be internalized, they are still based on what
others dictate, instead of what is personally decided. Stage 3, “Good boy/girl morality”, in this
level focuses on obtaining the approval of others, peer pressure. Good relationships become very
important. Stage 4, “authority-maintaining morality”, emphasizes the need to adhere to law.
“Law and order” are considered necessary in order to maintain the social order.
Level 3:Postconventional, deals with the development of a moral conscience that goes beyond
what others say. In this level people contemplate laws and expectations and decide on their own
what is right and what is wrong. They become self-determined, independent thinkers. Behavior is
based on principles instead of laws. This level progresses beyond selfish concerns. Needs and
well-being of others become very important. True morality is achieved in this level. Within this
level stage 5 is about upholding to socially accepted laws and principles. Law is considered good
for the general public welfare. However, laws are subject to interpretation and change. Stage 6:
Morality of individual principles and conscience is the ultimate attainment. In this stage, one is
free of the thoughts and opinions expresses by others. Morality is completely internalized.
Decisions are well-founded on one’s personal conscience transcending laws and regulations.
Examples of people attaining this level include Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.
The strengths of the theory are: thinking process, morality, and principles.
The limitations of the theory are how it focuses on the thought process rather than on the actually
actions of people. Such as policaticans can verbally express good morals, but their actions say
something else. An example that is used in the Zastrow book is Richard Nixon espoused high
moral standards but was forced to resign after he covered up the Watergate break in and theft of
Democrat party documents was revealed. A second dilemma of this theory is the difficulties that
are imposed in an abstract manner that requires a high level of verbal competence in order to
answer them. In this particular case children may be in a disadvantage due to their poor ability to
use language in understanding the proposed moral dilemmas and adequately expressing complex
answers. Children can be more capable of higher moral reasoning than Kohlberg predicts.
Usually children of 6 or 7 typically consider not only a person’s actions but also the motivation
behind such actions. Third limitation is that it is culturally biased. In a research conducted by
Snarey (1987) in 27 countries, it found that Kohlberg’s schema does not incorporate the higher
moral ideals that some cultures embrace. Examples of such higher reasoning that was not taken
into consideration withing Kohlberg’s framework include “vales related to communal equity and
collective happiness in Israel, the unity and sacredness of all life forms in India, and the relation
of the individual to the community in New Guinea” (Zastrow 262).
The theory accounts for the social influences of social oppression in relation to implementing
laws within communities of low-income. Adolescents are expected to behave in a particular
manner that is assumed in this theory which assumes that adolescents should achieve stage 4 in
level 2 that is followed by being influenced by this assumption. In our laws it assume that a
youth who reaches the age of 18 has the capability of knowing what is morally right and wrong
and should abide to the law. Such can be the cause however, many of these people live in very
difficult communities in where their only matter of survival to continue is to break a law due to
peer pressure. Also, the thinking of pregnant teenagers who are overly criticized for being a
mother at an early stage. Many people assume that like the theory these girls are thinking of
obeying th rules and abiding to them which however some people are not aware of the
cicurmastances in which the teen was exposed to prior to getting preganat, such as being raped
by a family member or a stranger and they just go along with such to not contradict the rules.
Some may abide to the rules within their household. Also there is the issue of morality being
applied to people within religion or cults. Some religions such as may be considered to be
morally correct by following the laws but values are not taken into account.
Gilligan’s theory, is a theray that was conducted on women rather than just men. Gillligan did
such because she felt that Kohhlberg’s theory was being baised because was only conducted on
men and that men think much differently than women. Gilligan and her associates (1982;
Gilligan & Attanucci, 1988; Gilligan et. al., 1990) reason that women’s moral development is
ofern based on their personal interest and commitment to the good of others close to them.
Occasionally this involves giving up or sacrificing one’s own well-being for others. The study
targeted 29 women who were receiving pregnancy and abortion counseling. Gilligan argued that
pregnancy and birth was an area in women’s lives in which they could emphasize choice, yet it
still was an intimate area to which they could relate to. Level 1: Orientation to Personal Survival,
focuses solely on the women’s self-interest. The needs and well-being of others are not really
considered. In this level, women focus first on personal survival such as what is practical and
best for her is most important. Transition 1:Transitition from personal selfishness to
responsibility, movement in moral thought from consideration only of self to some consideration
of the other involved. In this transition women come to realize the fact that she is responsible not
only for herself but also for others, including the unborn, she begins to acknowledge that her
choice will impact others.
Level 2:Goodness as Self-Sacrifice, putting aside one’s own needs and wishes, well-being of
others becomes a priority. The “good” thing to do is to sacrifice herself so that others may
benefit. In this level women feel dependent on what other people think. Usually it may become
conflictive when taking responsibility for her own actions and feeling pressure from others to
make her decisions.
Transition 2:From Goodness to Reality, women begin to examine their situations more
objectively.