Kohlberg s Moral Stages Theory
Kohlberg’s Moral Stages Theory
An indepth explaination
Josh Gallo
March 24, 2015
Crim. 101-f Dr. Kenneth Minton
How exactly do children develop morality? This question has fascinated parents, educators, religious leaders, and philosophers alike for decades. Does society and our surroundings dictate our moral development or do parental influences assume the majority role in which the way we develop our morality? Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg is looked at as one of the staple theorists who developed the framework for this very question. He began working on this theory in 1958 at the University of Chicago conducting his research for his doctoral dissertation. Expanding upon Jean Piaget’s prior work; this new theory is broken down into three different levels and six different stages. This new theory was able to explain in detail how children cognitively develop moral reasoning. For Kohlberg’s new theory he used a sample of 72 boys ages 10, 13, and 16. The boys came from middle to lower class families from the Chicago area (Crain, 1985). He interviewed them giving them a series of dilemmas, he was not interested in whether or not the child said yes he should have done that or no he shouldn’t have done that (Crain, 1985). But instead he was interested in the reasoning behind why the child answered the way he did. Kohlberg’s first level is called, “Preconventional Morality” that is than broken down into two stages. The first stage is called “Obedience and Punishment Orientation.” This is the earliest stage of moral development and is most evident and most easily recognizable in young children. Children view rules as fixed and absolute and to breaking them results in punishment as a consequence. University of Notre Dame Professor of psychology Ph.D. Robert Barger says, “The first level of moral thinking is that generally found at the elementary school level. In the first stage of this level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are
An indepth explaination
Josh Gallo
March 24, 2015
Crim. 101-f Dr. Kenneth Minton
How exactly do children develop morality? This question has fascinated parents, educators, religious leaders, and philosophers alike for decades. Does society and our surroundings dictate our moral development or do parental influences assume the majority role in which the way we develop our morality? Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg is looked at as one of the staple theorists who developed the framework for this very question. He began working on this theory in 1958 at the University of Chicago conducting his research for his doctoral dissertation. Expanding upon Jean Piaget’s prior work; this new theory is broken down into three different levels and six different stages. This new theory was able to explain in detail how children cognitively develop moral reasoning. For Kohlberg’s new theory he used a sample of 72 boys ages 10, 13, and 16. The boys came from middle to lower class families from the Chicago area (Crain, 1985). He interviewed them giving them a series of dilemmas, he was not interested in whether or not the child said yes he should have done that or no he shouldn’t have done that (Crain, 1985). But instead he was interested in the reasoning behind why the child answered the way he did. Kohlberg’s first level is called, “Preconventional Morality” that is than broken down into two stages. The first stage is called “Obedience and Punishment Orientation.” This is the earliest stage of moral development and is most evident and most easily recognizable in young children. Children view rules as fixed and absolute and to breaking them results in punishment as a consequence. University of Notre Dame Professor of psychology Ph.D. Robert Barger says, “The first level of moral thinking is that generally found at the elementary school level. In the first stage of this level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are
Bibliography: A.P.A Barger, R. (2000, January 1). Summary of Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from http://www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/kohlberg01bk.htm Crain, W.C (1985, January 1), Chapter seven Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development, Theories of Development. Prentice-Hall. pp. 118-136. Retrieved March 24, 2015, from Shared files: https://ut.blackboard.com/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_32488_1&content_id=_1106971_1&mode=reset