kohlberg's moral development

levels include:

1 - preconventional morality

2 - conventional morality

3 - postconventional morality

stage one : obedience / punishment

child assumes powerful authority makes set of rules they must obey ; avoid punishment

stage two : individualism / exchange of favors

recognize there is not one right view handed by authority; different individuals have different perspectives

stage three : good interpersonal relationships

child enters teen and sees morality more than simple ideas ; tries to be good boy or girl

stage three to four

reasoning works best in two-person relationship where one makes real effort to know the other person’s feelings

stage four : maintaining social order

person becomes concerned with society and obeys laws, respect authority, and perform duties

stage five : social contract / individual rights

thinks about society in theoretical way and evaluates existing societies in terms of prior considerations

stage six : universal principles

defines the principles by achieving justice and require us to treat the claims of all parties