Kohlberg Stages of Moral Development Who is Kohlberg

Kohlberg Stages of Moral Development

Who is Kohlberg? ✴ Studied at the University of Chicago, later served as a professor at the University and at Harvard ✴Close follower of Jean Piaget’s theory of Cognitive Development ✴ Became fascinated with children’s reactions to moral dilemmas and created his theory in 1958

Level I: Preconventional or Premoral Stage 1: Obedience & Punishment Stage 2: Naively egoistic Self-centered obedience to superior power or important influences Focuses on actions that satisfy oneself, but not always others Objective responsibility How can I avoid punishment? What’s in it for me?

How can Kohlberg’s model of Moral Development help us figure out what our children are thinking?

Level II: Conventional/Role Conformity Stage 3: Conformity & Interpersonal Accord Orientation to approval Wants to help and please others constantly Being the goodie-twoshoes Stage 4: Authority & Social Order Doing what is asked of you to show respect for authority Striving to live up to expectations Sense of obligation to within social order

Level III: Postconventional Stage 5: Contractual or Logistic Social contract orientation Right vs. Wrong becomes defined by law & society’s rules Law must prevail over personal needs for the sake of the greater function of society Stage 6: Universal Ethics of the Conscience Action is controlled by internalized ideals Conscience becomes a directing agent along with former social rules Logic and moral principles become essential

What stage would you associate most with this picture? Why?

Heinz Dilemma

Works Cited http: //www. haverford. edu/psych/ddavis/p 109 g/kohlber g. stages. html This site gives a brief introduction to the 3 levels & 6 stages of Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory Also, check the External Links section for a great pdf file using Kohlberg’s Theory to discuss Age & Criminal Responsibility