KOHLBERG THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

How do people develop morality? This question has fascinated psychologists, parents, teachers, and philosophers for ages, but moral development has also become a burning issue in educational psychology.

Do parental or societal influences play any role in moral development? Do all develop morality in similar ways? When we start developing morality?

Here, We are going to discuss how Kohlberg developed his theory of moral development and the stages he identified as part of this process.

Moral development is the process by which an individual develops the ability to distinguish between right and wrong (morality) and engage in reasoning between the two (moral reasoning).

At the end we will discuss critiques of Kohlberg’s theory, which suggest that it may be gender biased as it was based on the limited demographics of the subjects studied.

American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed a Theory on Moral Development as he was inspired by the work of Jean Piaget on development of moral reasoning in children.

He extended Piaget’s theory, by stating moral development is a continual process that occurs throughout the lifespan and outlined six stages of moral development within three different levels.

MORALITY

Fundamental questions of Right and Wrong, Justice, Fairness and basic human rights deals with morality.

HEINZ DILEMMA

The story is about a middle aged ,middle class man named Heinz. His wife was suffering with a deadly disease and doctors said only a recently invented special drug can treat that particular disease. So, he went to the druggist shop to buy that specific drug to save his dying wife.

He asked the inventor (druggist) to sell the drug which costed around 2000 dollars but, he didn’t have enough money to buy that so he managed to collect 1000 dollars after borrowing from family, friends and lenders and pleaded the druggist to give that life saving drug as he will give the remaining money later but the greedy inventor refused to give that drug.

Now, Heinz had two options first, let her wife die and second, steal the drug to save his dear wife.

What should Heinz Do??

MORAL REALISM

That developmental stage wherein children see rules as absolute or fixed. rules can’t be broken.

MORAL DILEMMA

Situation in which no moral choice is clear or right.

MORAL REASONING

The thinking process involved in judgements about questions of right and wrong. It is based on individual rights and justice.

LEVEL 1 PRE CONVENTIONAL (4 to 10 years)

• A Child sense of morality is externally controlled.
• Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers.
• A child has not yet adopted or internalized society’s conventions regarding what is right or wrong.
• Absence of Morality.

STAGE 1 STAGE OF ORDER AND PUNISHMENT / PUNISHMENT AND OBEDIENCE ORIENTATION

• The child is good in order to avoid being punished.
• If a person is punished , they must have done wrong.
• Good or bad actions are determined by the physical consequences.
• Conscience that works here is Self Protection.

Example- Heinz should not steal the drug because he’d go to jail if he got caught.

• Teacher will punish me if she caught me cheating in exam.

STAGE 2 NAIVE HEDONISTIC ORIENTATION / INSTRUMENTAL RELATIVIST ORIENTATION / INDIVIDUALISM AND EXCHANGE

• At this stage , children recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities.
• Different individuals can have different viewpoints.
• Personal needs determine right or wrong.
• Tit for Tat Orientation.
• I will scratch your back if you scratch mine.
• Conscience working here is Cunning.

Example- Heinz should steal drug because the druggist is being greedy by charging so much.

• A Mother tells her child If you are quiet at the mall , I will buy you an ice-cream. (Tit for Tat)

LEVEL 2 CONVENTIONAL (10-13 YEARS )

• A Child’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships.
• Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and societal order.

STAGE 3 GOOD BOY AND GOOD GIRL ORIENTATION/ GOOD INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

• The child is good in order to be seen as being a good person by others. therefore, answer relate to the approval of others.
• Mutual relations of trust and respect should be maintained provided they conform to your expected social role.
• Conscience working here is Loyalty.

Example- Heinz should try to steal the drug because that’s what a devoted husband would do.

STAGE 4 SOCIAL ORDER MAINTAINING ORIENTATION / LAW AND ORDER

• The child blindly accept rules and convention because of their importance in maintaining a functional society.
• He respect the authority and maintain social order.
• Conscience working here is Good Citizenship.

Example-Heinz should not steal the drug because that would be against the law and he has duty to uphold the law.

• I drive the speed limit because it is the law.
• I wear dress code because that is what the school requires.

LEVEL 3 POST CONVENTIONAL LEVEL ( ABOVE 13 YEARS)

• A person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values.
• People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be changed.
• It is considered as Highest level of Morality.

STAGE 5 STAGE OF SOCIAL CONTRACT / SOCIAL CONTRACT AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

• The child becomes aware that while the rules or laws might exist for good but there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals.
• Social Utility and Individual rights.
• Conscience working here is Reason.

Example- Heinz should steal the drug because his obligation to save his wife’s life must take precedence over his obligation to respect the druggist’s property rights.

STAGE 6 STAGE OF CONSCIENCE / UNIVERSAL ETHICAL PRINCIPLES OF ORIENTATION

• Highest form of morality that is self chosen ethical principles.
• Conscience working here is Personal Integrity.

Example- Heinz should steal the drug even if the person was a stranger and not his wife. He must follow his conscience and not let the druggist’s desire for money outweigh the value of a human life.

Kohlberg doubted only few people reached this stage. the person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process of having to pay the consequences of disapproval or imprisonment. Human rights, justice and equality are key values.

CRITICISM

• CAROL GILLIGAN (1982) criticized Kohlberg theory as it was primarily based on male sample.
• Kohlberg did not account for cultural differences in moral reasoning of men and women as women decisions are based on CARE BASED PRINCIPLE. So, He did Gender Bias.
• Too much emphasis on Moral thought and not on moral behavior.
• Underestimated the contribution of Family relationships.
• His theory is culturally biased , He said his theory is same across all cultures.
• Stages theories are in general and are not adequate to explain the moral development.
• The dilemmas are artificial and hypothetical.
• It does not reflect relationships and concern for others.
• It was based on poor research design.

• An ethics of care shifts our attention to the need of responsiveness in relationship at the cost of losing connection with self or others.
• It is generally based on inductive, contextual, psychological logic rather than mathematical or deductive.
• It considers, Morality is grounded in a psychological logic which reflects the ways in which we experience ourselves in relation to others.
• Carol said, The origins of morality lie in human relationships as they give rise to concerns about injustice and carelessness.

I hope you enjoyed the article and it improved your understanding about moral development. Feel free to ask questions or provide suggestions in the comments section below. Till then keep learning… see you in the next article. For much such articles visit https://edusights.com/