Evaluate two Theories. Piaget and Kolhberg
This assignment will describe and evaluate two theories in developmental psychology. Firstly looking at Piaget’s Theory then followed by Kohlberg, then an evaluation of the similarities and differences of the two. It will provide evidence of how Piaget’s and Kohlberg’s theory both suffer from the same criticism’s as they both use dilemmas with a particular criteria of a child and culture. The theory only considers a child’s beliefs not its actual behaviour.
Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland. Piaget used children to assess moral development. He did this by giving the children specific games to play the most popular one being marbles. As he studied he observed the way the children applied the rules and their reasoning to change the rules. In addition to this he also clinically interviewed children and asked hypothetical questions about lying and cheating. This gave him an insight about how children make decisions and what their beliefs consist of. He also learned how they determined knowing right from wrong. To Piaget children are born with very basic mental structure. An example of a story Piaget would give to a child would be there are two children one child has been told not to go into the cupboard to get a biscuit, the child does this and knocks over one cup in the process. The other child accidently knocks five plates off the dinner table, as they have walked through the door. Piaget concluded to the three stages shown below based on the children’s answers from asking questions similar to the above.
Piaget hypothesized three stages; Pre Moral; Heteronomous; Autonomous reality.
He believed that the pre moral stage children have no concern or awareness of rules; this is age zero-five years. Piaget then moved on to Heteronomous stage, here he concentrated on children ages five-nine years. He believed that these children had adherence to rules and duties and obedience to authority. The third stage being Autonomous, Piaget concentrated on children
Jean Piaget was born in Switzerland. Piaget used children to assess moral development. He did this by giving the children specific games to play the most popular one being marbles. As he studied he observed the way the children applied the rules and their reasoning to change the rules. In addition to this he also clinically interviewed children and asked hypothetical questions about lying and cheating. This gave him an insight about how children make decisions and what their beliefs consist of. He also learned how they determined knowing right from wrong. To Piaget children are born with very basic mental structure. An example of a story Piaget would give to a child would be there are two children one child has been told not to go into the cupboard to get a biscuit, the child does this and knocks over one cup in the process. The other child accidently knocks five plates off the dinner table, as they have walked through the door. Piaget concluded to the three stages shown below based on the children’s answers from asking questions similar to the above.
Piaget hypothesized three stages; Pre Moral; Heteronomous; Autonomous reality.
He believed that the pre moral stage children have no concern or awareness of rules; this is age zero-five years. Piaget then moved on to Heteronomous stage, here he concentrated on children ages five-nine years. He believed that these children had adherence to rules and duties and obedience to authority. The third stage being Autonomous, Piaget concentrated on children
Bibliography: Al, D. R. (Eighth Edition ). Deveopmental Psychology . Linda Schreiber . Taylor, I. (1999). Active Psychology. Pearson Education Limited . Cognition and Development . (n.d.). Retrieved from Psychology4a: http://psychology4a.com/develop10.htm Louw, D. (n.d.). Human Develpoment . Retrieved from Google Books : http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5H7Dg_cnJgIC&pg=PT346&dq=PIAGET+MORAL+DEVELOPMENT&hl=en&sa=X&ei=cfebUNXdEOnA0QWYlYBw&redir_esc=y http://www.sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=41174&cn=1310