Theories of Moral Development

Stages of Piaget’s theory

1. premoral (0-5 yrs)

2. heteronomous morality (5-10 yrs)

3. autonomous morality (10-11+ yrs)

Contributions of Piaget

suggests moral reasoning is tied to cognitive growth

Drawbacks to Piaget

• children less than 10 use more sophisticated reasoning than Piaget assumed

• is moral reasoning fully developed by age 10-11?

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development

1. preconventional morality

2. conventional morality

3. postconventional morality

Preconventional morality

morality based on tangible consequences

1. punishment-obedience orientation - avoiding punishment

2. naive hedonism - interest in gaining rewards

Conventional morality

morality based on approval/upholding law and social order

3. good boy/good girl orientation - gaining approval/praise

4. social order maintenance - right/wrong on legal authority

Postconventional morality

right and wrong, conflict with authority

5. social contract orientation - distinguish between morality and law

6. individual principles of conscience - right and wrong based on self-chosen ethics

Role of social experience

• comparison of parental vs peer influence: friends are more likely to challenge a child’s ideas

• parents make bigger contributions to moral growth when reasoning is positive, supportive, and gently questioned

• advanced education associated with more complex moral reasoning

• living in complex, diverse, and democratic societies associated with moral development

Contributions of Kohlberg

• stages well-supported by language evidence

• encompasses late childhood through to adulthood

Drawbacks to Kohlberg

• reflects western justice, centered on individualism

• collectivist societies seen as conventional but could have sophisticated ideas

• gendered moral orientations - girls taught to be empathetic