Psychological Explanations: Moral Development

Question 1

Who was Lawrence Kohlberg?

Answer 1

A psychologist interested in how we develop the rules, ethics and morals which govern our behaviour and decision making

Question 2

What did Kohlberg base his theory upon?

Answer 2

Research and interviews with groups of young children, a series of moral dilemmas were presented to these participants and they were also interviewed to determine the reasoning behind their judgement

Question 3

What is an example of a moral dilemma?

Answer 3

Heinz steals the drug

Question 4

What are the 3 levels of moral development?

Answer 4

1. Pre-conventional morality
2. Conventional morality
3. Postconventional morality

Question 5

What are the 2 stages in the pre-conventional level?

Answer 5

1. Punishment stage
2. Reward stage

Question 6

What is the punishment stage?

Answer 6

The most basic reasoning, will I be punished? If punishment is not definite, a crime is more likely to occur

Question 7

What is the reward stage?

Answer 7

What is there to gain? If the potential gains are good then the crime is more likely to occur

Question 8

What are the 2 stages in the conventional morality level?

Answer 8

3. ‘Good boy’ or ‘good girl’ orientation
4. Law and order stage

Question 9

What is the good boy or good girl orientation stage?

Answer 9

Considers what other people would think, if the closest people are criminals then crime is more likely to occur

Question 10

What is the law and order stage?

Answer 10

Considers the obedience to the law, is the act illegal? Someone at this stage would be less likely to commit a crime

Question 11

What are the 2 stages in the postconventional morality level?

Answer 11

5. Social contract stage
6. Ethical principle stage

Question 12

What is the social contract stage?

Answer 12

Someone at this stage adheres to the law but may commit a crime in certain circumstances where they may feel the law should not apply

Question 13

What is the ethical principle stage?

Answer 13

This stage is where the individual has their own moral code and may commit a crime if they feel the law is unjust

Question 14

What did Kohlberg find?

Answer 14

Criminal offences are more likely to be classified at the preconventional level whereas non crimped are more likely to have progressed onto the conventional level

Question 15

What do adults do in the preconventional stage?

Answer 15

Weigh up pros and cons of committing a crime from the advagyeahes it offers and the probability of punishment

Question 16

What did Chandler find?

Answer 16

Offenders were more egocentric (self centred) and had poorer social skills than non offenders, individuals at higher levels are more sympathetic and calle of behaviours such as generosity and non violence

Question 17

What are 3 evaluation points?

Answer 17

• Geberalisable: study present that adult offenders were in the preconventional level
• Beta bias/androcentic: women think differently
• Crows cultural research