Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

What did Kohlberg believe?

Moral growth occurs through interaction with one environment and progresses through defined stages.

What did Kohlberg do?

Presented moral dilemmas to those he studied, determining which stage of moral development they were in, based on not their answer to the dilemmas, but the reasons behind the answer

morals

a societal view of right or wrong

more of an individual view of right or wrong

values

How does one develop through the stages?

-By our own thinking about moral problems

-social experiences promote development by stimulating our mental processes

-discussions and debates

-NOT by age or physical maturity

Focus on external authority

Stage one- Obedience and punishment: behavior driven by avoiding punishment; the individual determines the morality of an act based on its consequences. (Intentions not considered.)

Stage two- Individual interest/ Instrumental Relativism: behavior driven by self-interest and rewards; the individual conforms to rules in order to get rewards or to satisfy needs.

preconventional morality(level 1)

Moral reason externally driven based on the social environment

Stage three- Interpersonal Concodance: behavior driven by social approval; primary objective is to be thought of as a nice person; wants to please and help others or be approved of.

Stage four- Society maintaining (law and order orientation)behavior driven by obeying authority and conforming to social order

conventional morality(level 2)

Development of a personal code of ethics; rules are internalized

Stage 5- Social Contract Orientation: behavior driven by the balance of social order and individual rights; the individual is guided by democratically accepted laws and individual rights.

Stage 6- Universal Ethics: behavior driven by internal moral principles; morality now based on individual conscience (self-chosen principles)

Loss of self-esteem results in the violation of these principles

post conventional morality(level 3)

the theory is:

-highly based in western culture

-largely based on a justice concept of laws and rules

cultural bias (criticism)

argued men and women have different sets of moral thinking

gender bias (criticism)

a. Moral development related to cognitive development. Must look at reasoning behind moral choices.

Three levels, two stages within each level.

o Some people seem to be in multiple stages at one time, and few people actually reach stage six.

o Argument that men and women's moral reasoning develop in different ways.

• Women: moral reasoning based on self, moral reasoning based on other, and then moral reasoning based on both self and other.

a. Overview