6. psychological explanations: Kohlberg

Question 1

describe and explain Preconventional morality

Answer 1

Preconventional morality
Stage 1: punishment oriented rules obeyed to avoid punishment.
Stage 2: personal gain oriented rules obeyed for personal gain

Question 2

what did Kohlberg find?

Answer 2

Many suggested that offenders tend to show a lower level of moral reasoning than non-offenders. Kohlberg found that a group of violent youths were at a significantly lower level of moral reasoning than non-violent youths, even after controlling for social background.

Question 3

what did Kohlberg propose?

Kohlberg based his theory on

Answer 3

Kohlberg proposed that people’ decisions and judgement on issues of right and wrong can be summarised in a stage theory of moral reasoning - the higher the stage, the more sophisticated the reasoning.
Kohlberg based his theory on people’s responses to a series of moral dilemmas, such as the Heinz dilemma.

Question 4

AO3: give a strength of kohlbergs moral explanation

RESEARCH SUPPORT - Palmer and Hollin

Answer 4

There is evidence supporting the link between level of moral reasoning and crime.
Palmer and Hollin compared moral reasoning in 332 non offenders and 126 convicted offenders using the socio-moral reflection measure short form (SRM-SF) which consists of 11 moral dilemma related questions such as not taking things that belong to others and keeping a promise to a friend. The offender group showed less mature moral reasoning than the non-offender group.
This is a strength as it shows Kohlberg’s predictions were correct.

Question 5

describe and explain Conventional morality

Answer 5

Conventional morality
Stage 3: good boy/girl orientation rules obeyed for approval.
Stage 4: (rules obeyed for the) maintenance of social order.

Question 6

describe and explain Post-conventional morality.

Answer 6

Post-conventional morality.
Stage 5: morality of human rights democratic rules are challenged if they infringe on the rights of others.
Stage 6: morality of conscience individual rules and personal set of ethical principles.

Question 7

AO3: give a limitation of kohlbergs moral explanation

TYPE OF OFFENCE - Reid

Answer 7

The level of moral reasoning may depend on the offence.
Reid found that people who committed crimes for financial gain were more likely to show pre-conventional moral reasoning than those convicted of impulsive crimes. Pre-conventional moral reasoning tends to be associates with crimes in which offenders believe they have a good chance of evading punishment.
This suggests that Kohlberg’s theory may not apply to all forms of crime