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Moral Development

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5 views

Moral Development

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nt889h2dx9
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Moral development theory

Presented by: Shobika G S


Introduction
• Kohlberg proposed it.
• It focuses on how children develop moral
development and morality.
• It was based on Piaget’s theory of
development.
• Individuals progress through six distinct
stages of moral reasoning from infancy
to adulthood.
• He suggested that people move through
these stages in a fixed order and that
moral understanding is linked to
cognitive development.
Questions:

1.Should Heinz have stolen the drug?


2.Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3.What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4.Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman dies?
• By studying the answers from children of different ages to these questions, Kohlberg
hoped to discover how moral reasoning changed as people grew older.

• The sample comprised 72 Chicago boys aged 10–16 years, 58 of whom were followed up
at three-yearly intervals for 20 years (Kohlberg, 1984).

• Each boy was given a 2-hour interview based on the ten dilemmas. Kohlberg was
interested not in whether the boys judged the action right or wrong but in the reasons for
the decision. He found that these reasons tended to change as the children got older.
Preconventional stage -
Obedience and Punishment
Orientation
• If the answer was : “Heinz should not steal the drug because
stealing is illegal, and he could be punished.”

• Moral reasoning is based on direct consequences - Avoiding


Punishment.
Preconventional stage – Individualism
and Exchange
• If the answer was : “Heinz should not steal the drug because stealing is
illegal, and he could be punished.”

• Actions are seen in terms of rewards rather than moral value - Self-Interest
Preconventional stage

• This stage lasts until approximately age 8.

• During this level, children accept the authority (and moral code) of others.

• This level of morality is mostly based on what authority figures like parents
or teachers tell you to do rather than what you think is right or wrong.
Preconventional stage

• Children often make moral decisions based on the physical consequences of


actions.

• For example, if an action leads to punishment, it must be bad; if it leads to a


reward, it must be good.

• Thus, moral decisions are shaped by the standards of adults and the
consequences of following or breaking their rules.
Conventional stage - Good Interpersonal
Relationships

• If the answer to Heinz dilemma was “Heinz should steal the drug because,
as a good husband, he is expected to do whatever he can to save his wife.”

• Good behavior is about living up to social expectations and roles – Good boy
attitude.
Conventional stage - Law and Order
Morality

• If the answer to Heinz dilemma was “Heinz should not steal the drug
because he must uphold the law and maintain societal order.”

• Moral reasoning considers societal laws – Law and morality


Conventional stage

• It is the adolescent phase of moral development.

• It is focused on societal norms and external expectations to discern right from


wrong, often grounded in tradition, cultural practices, or established codes of
conduct.

• reasoning is based on the group’s norms to which the person belongs.


Conventional stage

• So, people who follow conventional morality believe that it’s important to
follow society’s rules and expectations to maintain order and prevent
problems.

• For example, refusing to cheat on a test is a part of conventional morality


because cheating can harm the academic system and create societal problems.
Postconventional stage- Social Contract
and Individual Rights

• If the answer to Heinz’s dilemma was “Heinz should steal the


drug because preserving human life is a more fundamental
value than property rights.”

• Rules are seen as social agreements that can be changed when


necessary.
Postconventional stage- Universal Principles

• If the answer to Heinz’s dilemma was “Heinz should consider non-violent


civil disobedience or negotiation with the pharmacist. The decision reflects
a conflict between property rights and the sanctity of human life..”

• Moral reasoning is based on universal ethical principles and justice.


Postconventional stage

• It is the third level of moral development and is characterized by an individual’s understanding


of universal ethical principles.

• It is when people decide based on what they think is right rather than just following the rules of
society.

• At this level, people think about what is fair, what is just, and what values are important.

• E.g., human rights, justice, and equality.


Postconventional 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 and having to pay the
consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment.

• Kohlberg doubted few people had reached this stage.


Problems with the method

• The dilemmas are artificial (i.e., they lack ecological validity)

• The sample is biased – more males

• The dilemmas are hypothetical (i.e., they are not real)

• Poor research design – cross-sectional


Thank you

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