Unit 2 - Kohlberg, L. (1968). The child as a moral philosopher (procedures)

Who did Kohlberg’s sample consist of?

75 American boys who were between the ages of 10 and 16 at the beginning of research.

How old were the boys by the end of the research?

22 and 28.

Which other countries did Kohlberg gain samples from?

Great Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico and Turkey.

Why did Kohlberg use additional samples from other countries?

To gain a cross-cultural comparison.

How did Kohlberg follow the development of the same American boys for 12 years?

By using a longitudinal study.

What type of experimental design did Kohlberg use?

A repeated measures design (same participants).

How did Kohlberg assess the moral reasoning of the boys?

He used interviews.

What type of data did the interviews produce?

Qualitative data.

How did Kohlberg create and conduct the interview?

He created nine hypothetical dilemmas (such as the Heinz dilemma), with each dilemma presenting a conflict between two moral issues. Each participant was asked to discuss three of these dilemmas, prompted by a set of ten or more open-ended questions.

What are some of the questions that participants could have been asked about when discussing the Heinz dilemma?

Should Heinz steal the drug? (Why or why not?)

Does Heinz have a duty of obligation to steal the drug? (Why or why not?)

Is it important for people to do everything they can to save another’s life? (Why or why not?)

What did Kohlberg do with the boys’ answers?

They were analysed and common themes were identified, leading to a stage theory being constructed.

How often was each boy re-interviewed?

Every three years.

What are the level of moral development according to Kohlberg’s research?

Pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional.

What can the pre-conventional level be broken down into?

Stage 1 – focus is on avoiding punishment.

Stage 2 – self-interest and ‘what’s in it for me?’ determine right and wrong as they think about how they will benefit from the action.

What can the conventional level be broken down into?

Stage 3 – being perceived as ‘good’ and conforming determine right and wrong through the desire to be liked. What is right is defined by the expectations of others.

Stage 4 – what is right is based on the norms of the larger social system and wanting to maintain social order by obeying authority.

What can the post-conventional level be broken down into?

Stage 5 – whilst rules and laws exist as a social contract for the greater good, they do not always work with the individual’s interest. Laws can be flexible.

Stage 6 – understanding that moral reasoning is abstract and universal principles to be followed. When the law conflicts with ethical principles, the individual will focus on their own morals rather than the law.

What was Kohlberg’s finding regarding age and morals?

Kohlberg found that the younger children thought at the pre-conventional level and as they got older their reasons for moral decision became less focused on themselves and more focused on doing well because relations with others are viewed as important.

What was Kohlberg’s finding regarding location and morals?

The results in Mexico and Taiwan were the same except that development was a little slower.

What were Kohlberg’s conclusions regarding stages?

Stages are invariant and universal, meaning that people world-wide go through the same stages in the same order.

Each new stage represents a more equilibrated form of moral understanding, which results in a more logically consistent and morally mature form of understanding.

What was Kohlberg’s conclusion regarding moral discussion classes?

They can help children develop their moral thinking, and discussions with children at Stages 3 and 4 result in the child moving forward.