KOHLBERG’S THEORY of MORAL

DEVELOPMENT

“Right action tends to be defined in terms of general individual rights and standards that have been critically examined and agreed

upon by the whole society. ’’-Lawrence Kohlberg

• An ambiguous situations that requires a person to make MORAL decisions.

Kohlberg’s Stages of

Moral Development

Kohlberg’s Stages of

Moral Development

Moral Development

Online Biography

Lawrence Kohlberg1927-1987

Lawrence Kohlberg

Born October 25, 1927 in

Bronxville, New York

Attended the elite Andover

Academy in Massachusetts.

Obtained his bachelor’s degree

after one year of study at the

University of Chicago in 1948

Earned his doctoral degree in 1958

from the same university after

writing a dissertation outlining

stage theory of moral development

Lawrence Kohlberg

• Influenced by Jean Piaget's theories of cognitive development in children.

• (1958) His doctoral dissertation on the six stages of moral development was published.

• Began teaching at Yale University in 1959.

• In 1962 he worked at University of Chicago

• Then in 1968 he began his career at Harvard University

• He was married with 2 sons• Passed away at the age of 59 in

1987.

Kohlberg’s Stage Theory

• Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation

• Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange

• Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships• Stage 4: Maintaining Social Order

• Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights

• Stage 6: Universal Principles

Preconventional {

{Conventional

{Postconventional

Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation

• There is a strict set of rules that must always be followed

• The ideas of punishment and permission are key

• Pre-conventional thought expressed

Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange

• Now there is not one right way of doing things; everything is relative

• Fair exchange policy• The role of punishment weakens

Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships

• “Good Boy/Nice Girl” Orientation• People should live up to the expectations

of community• Characters’ traits and motives are

examined

Stage 4: Maintaining the Social Order

• There is an emphasis on obeying laws, respecting authority, and performing one’s duties so social order is maintained

• Perspective changes to society as a whole

• Not only does the child say a certain action is right or wrong, they explore the reasons why

Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights

• An individual’s moral judgment is motivated by community respect, respecting social order, and respect for legally/determined laws

• Thoughts consider the rights and values a society must uphold

Stage 6: Universal Principles

• Involves universal principles of justice that apply to all people

• We treat the particular dilemma through unbiased and impartial eyes

• We can only reach this stage by looking at a situation through someone else’s eyes

Stages of Moral DevelopmentLawrence Kohlberg

      

Level Stage Ages Social Orientation

Pre-Conventional 1 2-4 Obedience and Punishment

2 4-7Individualism, Instrumentalism

Conventional 3 7-10 Good Boy/Girl

4 10-12 Law and Order

Post-Conventional

5Teen

sSocial Contract

6 Adult Principled Conscience

“The Heinz Dilemma”In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of

cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. the drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only get together about $2,000, which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying, and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So, having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife.

1.Should Heinz steal the drug? 1a. Why or why not?

2. Is it actually right or wrong for him to steal the drug?

2a. Why is it right or wrong?

3. Does Heinz have a duty or obligation to steal the drug?

3a. Why or why not?

“Heinz Dilemma”

Created by:GamillaDe la cruzDuranElijanEstrellaGaranganaoGariando