Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development

Introduction
Theoretical framework
- Level 1: Preconventional level
  - Stage 1: Punishment/obedience orientation
  - Stage 2: Instrumental purpose orientation
- Level 2: Conventional level
  - Stage 3: Good Boy/Nice Girl orientation
  - Stage 4: Law and order orientation
- Level 3: Postconventional or principled level
  - Stage 5: Social contract orientation
  - Stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientation
Basic tenets of Kohlberg’s theory
Measurement of moral development

References & Edit History Related Topics

Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

Cheryl E. Sanders
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Modified link of Web site: Social Sciences LibreTexts - Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development.	Grace Young	Sep 26, 2026
	Add new Web site: NOVA Open Publishing - PSY 235 Child Psychology - Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development.	Grace Young	Jan 23, 2026
	Add new Web site: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Institutional Repository - Theory Of Moral Development (PDF).	Grace Young	Jun 18, 2025
	Add new Web site: Appalachian State University - Kohlberg?s Stages of Moral Development.	Gloria Lotha	Dec 16, 2024
	Add new Web site: Social Sciences LibreTexts - Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development.	Gloria Lotha	Mar 26, 2024
	Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Kohlberg moral development.	Gloria Lotha	Feb 13, 2024
	Add new Web site: Concordia University Open Textbooks - Kohlberg�s Stages of Moral Development.	Gloria Lotha	Nov 06, 2023
	Link added.	The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica	Jun 08, 2023
	Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Construct validity of the Moral Development Scale for Professionals (MDSP).	Aakanksha Gaur	May 15, 2023
	Add new Web site: Simply Psychology - Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development.	Aakanksha Gaur	Apr 03, 2023
	Add new Web site: Verywell Mind - Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development.	Aakanksha Gaur	Nov 30, 2022
	Article revised to mention criticism of Lawrence Kohlberg's theory by Carol Gilligan.	Brian Duignan	May 28, 2020
	Add new Web site: Academia - Chapter Seven Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development.	Gloria Lotha	Jan 02, 2019
	Corrected display issue.	Adam Augustyn	Jan 03, 2018
	New article added.	Naomi Blumberg Cheryl E. Sanders	Jul 05, 2016