Lawrence Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Overview

• Moral reasoning develops in six stages.
• Stages are structured in three levels:
  1. Pre-conventional
  2. Conventional
  3. Post-conventional

Stages of Moral Development

Pre-conventional Level

1. Stage One: Obedience and Punishment

   • Moral judgments based on avoiding punishment.
   • Example: Finn doesn't help his friend Tom because he fears punishment.
   • Key Question: How can I avoid punishment?

2. Stage Two: Self-Interest

   • Motivated by personal benefits.
   • Example: Mary helps Tom believing he may reciprocate in future.
   • Key Question: What's in it for me?

Conventional Level

3. Stage Three: Interpersonal Accord and Conformity

   • Behavior guided by social approval and conformity.
   • Example: Betty refrains from helping to maintain social image.
   • Key Question: What do others think of me?

4. Stage Four: Authority and Social Order

   • Emphasis on law, order, and authority.
   • Example: Teacher intervenes to stop the fight, prioritizing rule enforcement.
   • Key Question: How can I maintain law and order?

Post-conventional Level

5. Stage Five: Social Contract

   • Rules evaluated based on serving the community.
   • Example: Jessie questions if the rules serve everyone's interests.
   • Key Question: Does a rule truly serve all members of the community?

6. Stage Six: Universal Ethical Principles

   • Guided by abstract ethical principles and justice.
   • Example: Headmaster focuses on compassion and justice beyond rules.
   • Key Question: What are the abstract ethical principles that serve my understanding of justice?

Levels of Moral Reasoning

• Pre-conventional: Focus on direct consequences (common in children).
• Conventional: Morality based on societal norms (common in adolescence, adulthood).
• Post-conventional: Rules may be disobeyed if inconsistent with personal morality (not everyone reaches this level).

Influence of Piaget

• Kohlberg's work is based on Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
• Interviews with boys aged 10-16 to confirm stages of moral development.

Heinz Dilemma

• Famous moral dilemma used by Kohlberg:
  • Heinz's wife is dying; druggist sells drug at exorbitant price.
  • Heinz steals the drug to save his wife.
• Questions posed:
  • Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
  • Would the decision change if he didn't love his wife?
  • Implications if the dying person was a stranger?
  • Should the druggist be arrested for murder if the wife died?

Conclusion

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