- Related Topics:
- child psychology
- moral reasoning
Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development
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Who was Lawrence Kohlberg?
Lawrence Kohlberg (1927–1987) was an American psychologist and educator celebrated for his theory of moral development.
Kohlberg's cognitive theory, developed in 1958 and based on Jean Piaget's work, emphasizes the thought processes behind moral decisions rather than the decisions themselves. He presented moral dilemmas to subjects, such as the scenario of a poor man stealing medicine for his dying wife, and used their responses as the basis for his six-stage theory.
His theory outlines three levels of moral development: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional, each with two stages. At the postconventional level, morality is defined by abstract principles that apply universally. Though highly influential in psychology and education, Kohlberg's theory was criticized by Carol Gilligan for focusing on boys and ignoring the distinct patterns of moral development in girls.
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What are the stages of moral development?
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development includes six stages organized into three levels.
* Preconventional level: Morality is externally controlled, and behaviour is guided by avoiding punishments or gaining rewards.
* Conventional level: Right acts are those that gain the approval of others or consist of following society’s rules.
* Postconventional level: Morality is defined in terms of abstract principles and values that apply to all situations and societies. Individuals in this level attempt to take the perspective of everyone.Kohlberg's theory has been influential in psychology and education but has faced criticism for potentially ignoring distinct patterns of moral development in girls.
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How many stages did Kohlberg describe, and what are they called?
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development includes six stages, structured in increasing complexity and arranged into three levels of moral development.
The levels and stages are:
* Level 1: Preconventional
* Stage 1: Punishment/obedience orientation
* Stage 2: Instrumental purpose orientation
* Level 2: Conventional
* Stage 3: Good Boy/Nice Girl orientation
* Stage 4: Law and order orientation
* Level 3: Postconventional
* Stage 5: Social contract orientation
* Stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientationKohlberg's work, which was influenced by Jean Piaget, has been highly influential in psychology and education, though it has also faced criticism for potentially ignoring the distinct patterns of moral development in girls.
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How do people progress from one stage to another in Kohlberg’s theory?
Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development is a comprehensive theory of moral development formulated in 1958, based on Jean Piaget's theory of moral judgment for children.
Kohlberg's theory suggests that individuals progress through six stages of moral reasoning, grouped into three levels. Studies show that as people age, they tend to use higher stages of moral reasoning. Comprehension of these stages is cumulative, with understanding of higher stages being more difficult. Everyone progresses through the same sequence of development, though rates vary.
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What is an example of moral reasoning at a higher stage vs. a lower stage?
Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development involve six stages organized into three levels. Moral reasoning at a lower stage (preconventional level) is externally controlled, where actions are based on avoiding punishment or gaining rewards. An example would be a child obeying rules to avoid punishment.
At a higher stage (postconventional level), morality is defined by abstract principles and values that apply universally, beyond societal norms. An individual at this stage might determine appropriate action through self-chosen ethical principles of conscience, considering the perspectives of everyone affected by the decision. Kohlberg claimed that not everyone reaches this level.
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How has Kohlberg’s theory influenced psychology and education?
Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development has greatly impacted both psychology and education by providing a detailed explanation of children’s moral development. His theory broke ground by concentrating on cognitive phenomena during a time when most psychologists were behaviorists.
Kohlberg's theory consists of six stages arranged sequentially into three general levels of moral development. His work, though influential, faced criticism from Carol Gilligan, who argued that it universalized patterns of moral development exhibited by boys while ignoring the distinct patterns characteristic of girls.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development, a comprehensive stage theory of moral development based on Jean Piaget’s theory of moral judgment for children (1932) and developed by Lawrence Kohlberg in 1958. Cognitive in nature, Kohlberg’s theory focuses on the thinking process that occurs when one decides whether a behaviour is right or wrong. Thus, the theoretical emphasis is on how one decides to respond to a moral dilemma, not what one decides or what one actually does.
(Read Peter Singer’s Britannica entry on ethics.)
Kohlberg’s theory, though extremely influential, was based on research that used only boys as subjects. In the 1980s the theory was criticized by the American psychologist Carol Gilligan for universalizing patterns of moral development exhibited by boys and ignoring the distinct patterns characteristic of girls.
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Theoretical framework
The framework of Kohlberg’s theory consists of six stages arranged sequentially in successive tiers of complexity. He organized his six stages into three general levels of moral development.
Level 1: Preconventional level
At the preconventional level, morality is externally controlled. Rules imposed by authority figures are conformed to in order to avoid punishment or receive rewards. This perspective involves the idea that what is right is what one can get away with or what is personally satisfying. Level 1 has two stages.
Stage 1: Punishment/obedience orientation
Behaviour is determined by consequences. The individual will obey in order to avoid punishment.
Stage 2: Instrumental purpose orientation
Behaviour is determined again by consequences. The individual focuses on receiving rewards or satisfying personal needs.
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Level 2: Conventional level
At the conventional level, conformity to social rules remains important to the individual. However, the emphasis shifts from self-interest to relationships with other people and social systems. The individual strives to support rules that are set forth by others such as parents, peers, and the government in order to win their approval or to maintain social order.
Stage 3: Good Boy/Nice Girl orientation
Behaviour is determined by social approval. The individual wants to maintain or win the affection and approval of others by being a “good person.”
Stage 4: Law and order orientation
Social rules and laws determine behaviour. The individual now takes into consideration a larger perspective, that of societal laws. Moral decision making becomes more than consideration of close ties to others. The individual believes that rules and laws maintain social order that is worth preserving.
Level 3: Postconventional or principled level
At the postconventional level, the individual moves beyond the perspective of his or her own society. Morality is defined in terms of abstract principles and values that apply to all situations and societies. The individual attempts to take the perspective of all individuals.
Stage 5: Social contract orientation
Individual rights determine behaviour. The individual views laws and rules as flexible tools for improving human purposes. That is, given the right situation, there are exceptions to rules. When laws are not consistent with individual rights and the interests of the majority, they do not bring about good for people and alternatives should be considered.
Stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientation
According to Kohlberg, this is the highest stage of functioning. However, he claimed that some individuals will never reach this level. At this stage, the appropriate action is determined by one’s self-chosen ethical principles of conscience. These principles are abstract and universal in application. This type of reasoning involves taking the perspective of every person or group that could potentially be affected by the decision.
Basic tenets of Kohlberg’s theory
The numerous studies investigating moral reasoning based on Kohlberg’s theory have confirmed basic tenets regarding the topic area. Cross-sectional data have shown that older individuals tend to use higher stages of moral reasoning when compared with younger individuals, while longitudinal studies report “upward” progression, in accordance with Kohlberg’s theoretical order of stages. In addition, studies have revealed that comprehension of the stages is cumulative (e.g., if a person understands stage 3, he or she understands the lower stages but not necessarily the higher stages), and comprehension of higher stages is increasingly difficult. Moreover, age trends in moral development have received cross-cultural support. Lastly, data support the claim that every individual progresses through the same sequence of development; however, the rates of development will vary.
Measurement of moral development
Since the development of Kohlberg’s theory, a number of measurement tools that purport to measure moral reasoning have been constructed. Kohlberg’s Moral Judgment Interview (1969) is a rather lengthy structured interview requiring trained interviewers and scorers. Another instrument is the Defining Issues Test developed by James Rest (1974). These measures, ranging from projective tests to structured, objective assessments, all consist of a set of hypothetical stories involving moral dilemmas.