Kohlberg's Moral Development

Preconventional

Elementary School age (before 9 years old); Stage 1: children obey authroity figures out of fear of punishment. Stage 2: children act acts accetably as it is in his/her best interest and conforms to rules to recieve rewards.

Conventional

Early Adolescence; Stage 3: Person’s act to gain approval from others. Stage 4: Obeys laws and fufils obligations and duties to maintain social system. Rules are rules.

Postconventional

Adulthood; Stage 5: Genuine interest in welfare of others; concerned with individual rights and being morally right. Stage 6: Guided by individual principles based on broad, universal ethical principles. Concern is larger univesal issues of morality.

Criticism

Kolhberg belived that indivudals progressed through these stages in fixed order and do not skip stages. There are cultural concerns with this theory as well.