PRECONVENTIONAL LEVEL (childhood)
Stage 1 Punishment orientation
Right and wrong is determined by what is punished
Stage 2 Naïve reward
Right and wrong is determined by what is rewarded
CONVENTIONAL LEVEL (adolescence)
Stage 3 Good boy / good girl orientation
Right and wrong is determined by other’s approval and disapproval
Stage 4 Authority orientation
Right and wrong is determined by society’s rules and laws, which should be obeyed rigidly
POSTCONVENTIONAL LEVEL (adulthood)
Stage 5 Social contract orientations
Right and wrong is determined by society’s rules which are viewed as fallible rather than absolute
Stage 6 Individual principles and conscience orientation
Right and wrong is determined by abstract ethical principles that emphasize equity and justice