KOHLBERG- MORAL REASONING

Kohlberg 1963 Heinz Dilemma

Heinz’s wife is suffering from terminal cancer but chemist has the cure and is selling it for too expensive a price and won’t budge even after Heinz gets half the money for it so he breaks into the lab and steals it 

What questions are asked about the Heinz Dilemma?

Should he have broken into the laboratory?

What should happen to Heinz?

What if Heinz didn’t love his wife?

Kohlberg (1963) study aim

To find evidence supporting a progression through stages of moral development

Kohlberg (1963) study sample

58 working/middle class boys from Chicago aged 7,10,13 and 16

Kohlberg (1963) study procedure

Given 2 hour interview with 10 dilemmas to solve- some followed up at 3 yearly intervals and study was repeated in 1969 in different countries/areas

Kohlberg (1963) study results

Younger boys tended to perform at stages 1 and 2 and older boys 3 and 4- consistent across cultures

Preconventional morality

Punishment and reward stage

Conventional morality

God boy/girl and law and order stage

Postconventional morality

Social contract and ethical principle stage