Download Lesson 5, A - My morals made me do it.

Module – Who am I? Who are you?
Lesson 5 – My morals made me do it.
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Lesson 5 Index

Theories of Moral Reasoning
 Lawrence Kohlberg
 Cross Cultural Analysis
 John Haidt

Neurobiological Basis of Moral Reasoning

In Conclusion

References
Objective #22
Summarize the cognitive mechanisms involved in each
stage of Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning
Moral Reasoning…
According to Kohlberg
Theory of Moral Development
♂
Preconventional Level
♂
♂
♂
Conventional Level
♂
♂
♂
Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience
Stage 2: Mutual Benefit
Stage 3: Interpersonal Expectations
Stage 4: Law and Order
Postconventional Level
♂
♂
Stage 5: Legal Principles
Stage 6: Universal Moral Principles
The Heinz Dilemma
In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was
one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium
that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was
expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug
cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a
small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone
he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only
get together about $2,000 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 him pay later.
But the druggist said: “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make
money from it.” So having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and
considers breaking into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.
Preconventional: Stage 1
Morality is based on punishments and rewards. Judgments are
formed according to external authorities.
[click]
Chris, age 6:
“[Heinz] did something wrong; he will go to jail.”
Preconventional: Stage 2
[click]
Morality is reciprocal. We seek what is in
our best interest, and only help others if it
benefits us.
Jonathan, 7 :
“He shouldn’t get in trouble for stealing it because he really
needed it and the man who was selling it was so greedy and
only wanted the money.”
Conventional: Stage 3
“Right” is being a “good” person by conforming to social
expectations.
[click]
Andrea, 9:
“Because if you do you are caring about other
people instead of just you.”
The Bridge Dilemma
In Korea, a company of Marines was way outnumbered and was retreating
before the enemy. The company had crossed a bridge over a river, but the
enemy were mostly still on the other side. If someone went back to the
bridge and blew it up, with the head start the rest of the men in the
company would have, they would probably then escape. But the man who
stayed back to blow up the bridge would not be able to escape alive. The
captain himself is the man who knows best how to lead the retreat. He asks
for volunteers, but no one will volunteer. If he goes himself, the men will
probably not get back safely and he is the only one who knows how to lead
the retreat.
Conventional: Stage 4
“Right” is helping to maintain social order by doing one’s duty and
showing respect for authority.
[click]
Grace, 11:
“That man joined the Army and the captain
has every right to order his men.”
Postconventional: Stage 5
“Right” is protecting basic rights of all members of society by
upholding legal principles that promote fairness, justice,
equality, and democracy.
[click]
Taya, 10:
“He’s doing it for the right reasons but he
shouldn’t still.”
Postconventional: Stage 6
“Right” is determined by self-chosen ethical standards that
underscores ideals. If these conflict with laws, self-chosen
principles take preference.
[click]
Christa, 14:
“We must recognize all humans as human.
Human life is human life.”
Objective #23
Break down Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning by
gender and culture
Cross-Cultural Relevance
• Western emphasis on individual rights, harm, and justice
• Don’t reflect collectivist emphasis on interdependence and
group harmony
• Heinz’s Dilemma
“If nobody helped him, I would say that we had caused the
crime.” man from New Guinea
Hockenbury, D. and Hockenbury, S. (2006). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York, New York: Worth
Publishers.
Moral Reasoning…
According to Gilligan
Carol Gilligan – Gender differences
♀
♀
♀
Later criticized his theory of moral development as being
biased toward a male perspective
Proposed care-orientation as an alternative method of
moral reasoning
Believes girls are more inclined towards care-orientation so
they score lower on Kohlberg’s stages because careorientation is associated with stage 3 (good interpersonal
relationships).
Gilligan’s Three-Stage Theory
Preconventional: Egocentricism
♀ Conventional: Care for others
♀ Postconventional: Balancing care for self and others
♀
“The moral judgments of women differ from that of men in
the greater extent to which women’s judgments are tied to
feelings of empathy and compassion and are concerned
with the resolution of real as opposed to hypothetical
dilemmas.”
Gilligan, 1982
Objective #24
Discuss morality according to Haidt’s five fundamental
moral impulses
Harm / Care
Fairness / Reciprocity
Authority / Respect
In-Group Loyalty
Purity / Sanctity


Creates most conflict
Best predictor of
attitudes
 Abortion
 Gay
marriage
5 Fundamental Moral Instincts
“Seeing things from multiple perspectives gives you a much better view of the whole.”
A. Newberg
Objective #25
Illustrate how Haidt’s theory of morality can be understood
as a worldview
Haidt’s Theory as a Worldview
Liberals


Harm / Care
Fairness / Reciprocity
Conservatives



Ignore or don’t see other
perspectives
See as outdated or backwards
Loyalty
Authority
Purity
Acknowledges other
perspectives, but don’t
emphasize
Objective #26
Describe the neurobiological basis of moral reasoning by
discussing the roles of various structures and regions in the
brain
The Brain and Moral Reasoning


Frontal Lobe (blue)
Temporal Lobe (green)
 Abstract
reasoning
 Working memory
 Willful thinking
 Regulates emotions
Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need
for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.
In conclusion…
What is morality?

Moral Reasoning = neurobiology + social influence
 Interconnectedness


= compassion and empathy
Individualists – guilt motivates change
Collectivists – shame motivates change
Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological
Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.
How to Change Beliefs
5.
Ideals and beliefs are superior to others
Logical justification for beliefs
Clearly defined group behavior
Reinforce 1-3 over and over
Contractual agreement (commitment to group)

1-5 are standard in most groups
1.
2.
3.
4.
Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering
Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.
References
Haidt, J. (2007). Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion. Retrieved August
13, 2009 from http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt07/haidt07_index.html
Hockenbury, D. and Hockenbury, S. (2006). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York, New York:
Worth Publishers.
Jacobs, T. (2009, April 27). Morals Authority. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from
http://www.miller-mccune.com/culture_society/morals-authority1099/2?article_page=3.
Naukan, D. and Fredendall, C. (n.d.). Morality in Kohlberg and Gilligan [PowerPoint].
Retrieved October 4, 2009 from
http://dante.udallas.edu/fredendall/child_growth/ChildGrowth/Kohlberg.ppt.
Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering
Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.