Theory of Moral DevelopmentLawrence 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.

• InternalizationInternalization – 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 ReasoningLevel 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 ReasoningLevel 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 ReasoningLevel 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.