The first level of moral thinking is that generally found at the elementary school level. In the first stage of this level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are told to do so by some authority figure e. This obedience is compelled by the threat or application of punishment. The second stage of this level is characterized by a view that right behavior means acting in one's own best interests. The second level of moral thinking is that generally found in society, hence the name "conventional.
The second stage is one oriented to abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty. The third level of moral thinking is one that Kohlberg felt is not reached by the majority of adults. Its first stage stage 5 is an understanding of social mutuality and a genuine interest in the welfare of others. How did people determine what was right or wrong? Following specific patterns of human behavior, Kohlberg organized the six stages into three levels of moral reasoning.
Participants in his studies, including adults, teenagers, and children, were asked to offer reasoning to a dilemma. An example that Kohlberg used as a moral dilemma is as follows:. A man named Heinz, who lived in Europe, had a wife whom he loved very much. His wife was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and did not have long to live.
Luckily, there was a pharmacist who invented a drug called radium that could cure her. The pharmacist owned all rights to this medication and decided to sell it at a high markup in order to make a profit. Heinz did not have enough money to pay the exorbitant price, so he tried fundraising to cover the costs. Heinz begged the pharmacist to sell it to him at a reduced price but the man refused. Desperate and running out of time, Heinz broke into the pharmacy after hours and stole the drug.
Was this the right or wrong thing to do? There were three levels of moral reasoning that encompassed the six stages. Like Piaget, subjects were unlikely to regress in their moral development, but instead, moved forward through the stages: pre-conventional, conventional, and finally post-conventional. Each stage offers a new perspective, but not everyone functions at the highest level all the time. People gain a more thorough understanding as they build on their experiences, which makes it impossible to jump stages of moral development.
See also: Andragogy Theory — Malcolm Knowles. Laws are valid only insofar as they are grounded in justice, and a commitment to justice carries with it an obligation to disobey unjust laws. People choose the ethical principles they want to follow, and if they violate those principles, they feel guilty. In this way, the individual acts because it is morally right to do so and not because he or she wants to avoid punishment , it is in their best interest, it is expected, it is legal, or it is previously agreed upon.
Although Kohlberg insisted that stage six exists, he found it difficult to identify individuals who consistently operated at that level. Kohlberg has been criticized for his assertion that women seem to be deficient in their moral reasoning abilities when compared to men.
She argued that women are not deficient in their moral reasoning and instead proposed that males and females reason differently: girls and women focus more on staying connected and maintaining interpersonal relationships. This is biased against those that live in non-Western societies that place less emphasis on individualism. This often occurs in moral dilemmas involving drinking and driving or business situations where participants have been shown to reason at a lower developmental stage, typically using more self-interest driven reasoning i.
Skip to main content. Part II: Educational Psychology. Search for:. Kohlberg's theory is broken down into three primary levels.
At each level of moral development, there are two stages. Similar to how Piaget believed that not all people reach the highest levels of cognitive development, Kohlberg believed not everyone progresses to the highest stages of moral development. Preconventional morality is the earliest period of moral development. It lasts until around the age of 9.
At this age, children's decisions are primarily shaped by the expectations of adults and the consequences for breaking the rules. There are two stages within this level:.
The next period of moral development is marked by the acceptance of social rules regarding what is good and moral. During this time, adolescents and adults internalize the moral standards they have learned from their role models and from society. This period also focuses on the acceptance of authority and conforming to the norms of the group.
There are two stages at this level of morality:. At this level of moral development, people develop an understanding of abstract principles of morality. The two stages at this level are:. One analysis found that while stages one to four could be seen as universal in populations throughout the world, the fifth and sixth stages were extremely rare in all populations. Kohlberg's theory played an important role in the development of moral psychology.
While the theory has been highly influential, aspects of the theory have been critiqued for a number of reasons:. Gilligan instead suggested that Kohlberg's theory overemphasizes concepts such as justice and does not adequately address moral reasoning founded on the principles and ethics of caring and concern for others. While Kohlberg's theory of moral development has been criticized, the theory played an important role in the emergence of the field of moral psychology.
Researchers continue to explore how moral reasoning develops and changes through life as well as the universality of these stages. Understanding these stages offers helpful insights into the ways that both children and adults make moral choices and how moral thinking may influence decisions and behaviors.
Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Lapsley D. Moral agency, identity and narrative in moral development. Hum Dev. Elorrieta-Grimalt M.
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