Define morality.
What was the background to Kohlberg’s study?
- The psychodynamic perspective would explain morality in terms of the development of a superego.
- The behaviourist perspective can explain morality in various ways but one would be as a consequence of children observing and imitating models who behave in a moral way.
- Jean Piaget put forward a cognitive account of moral development to do with ways in which children think. He theorised that there were two levels of moral thinking: heteronomous moral thinking and autonomous moral reasoning.
What is the difference between heteronomous and autonomous moral reasoning?
- Heteronomous moral thinking weighs the outcome of the action to determine how bad it is.
- Autonomous moral reasoning takes into account the intent of the person committing the action.
According to Piaget, autonomous moral reasoning was more advanced than heteronomous moral thinking.
What was the aim of Kohlberg’s study?
To investigate moral development in children as they get older (provide evidence for his stage theory of moral development) and to see whether there are any cultural differences in moral reasoning.
What was the US sample in Kohlberg’s study?
- 75 boys
- Start age: 10 - 16
- End age: 22 - 28
What was the procedure in Kohlberg’s study?
- Every boy was presented with moral dilemmas every 3 years during the 12 year study.
- Using the answers the boys gave, Kohlberg ranked them in six categories (1 being the least morally developed to 6 being the most morally developed). If about 50% of their responses to any of these moral concepts fell into a stage they were put into it.
- This formed his theory of stages of moral development.
Define longitudinal in terms of research methods?
A research method that follows a number of participants over an extended period of time.
How was Kohlberg’s study longitudinal?
He studied the same boys over a period of 12 years.
What are the strengths of using longitudinal research in Kohlberg’s study?
- Excellent at controlling participant variables.
- Can show development of individuals and how these differ by gender, culture, environment etc…
What are the weaknesses of using longitudinal research in Kohlberg’s study?
- Time consuming
- Extraneous variables of upbringing might influence behaviour.
- Retention rate / participant attrition
How was Kohlberg’s study cross-cultural?
Kohlberg repeated the study on boys from Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey, Canada and the UK.
What are the strengths of using cross-cultural research in Kohlberg’s study?
- Enables him to demonstrate that his theory of moral development doesn’t just apply to Americans (it isn’t ethnocentric).
- Comparisons can be made to help generalise results.
What are the weaknesses of using cross-cultural research in Kohlberg’s study?
- Cost implications
- Language barriers
- Moral dilemmas might have been culture-bound to the USA.
What did the data Kohlberg collected lead him to create?
Kohlberg proposed a topology of moral reasoning made up of six stages across three levels.
What are the three levels of morality proposed by Kohlberg?
- Pre-conventional
- Conventional
- Post-conventional
What stages are under the three levels of morality proposed by Kohlberg?
- Pre-conventional: Stages 1 and 2
- Conventional: Stages 3 and 4
- Post-conventional: Stages 5 and 6
Describe the pre-conventional level of morality proposed by Kohlberg.
- Children are well behaved but only because of the physical consequences to them of being good or bad.
- If there is nobody there to judge them, the children are likely to be naughty.
Describe the conventional level of morality proposed by Kohlberg.
- People conform to the social norms and expectations of their individual family, group or nation.
- Rules must be followed.
Describe the post-conventional level of morality proposed by Kohlberg.
- People set their own personal moral principles which may differ from those of the social groups they form.
Describe stage 1 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.
- Orientation towards punishment
- Child is well behaved and responsive to cultural norms but able to behave in an immoral way if authority structure is missing.
Describe stage 2 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.
- Self-interest orientation
- Child behaves in a self-centred way, doing what brings benefit to self.
Describe stage 3 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.
- Conformity to expectations and rules (Good boy / good girl orientation)
- Child seeks approval from others and begins to consider the intention of the act.
Describe stage 4 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.
- Orientation towards authority, fixed rules and social order (check)
- Child now sees right behaviour as a duty to show respect and maintain social order.
- Laws are set in stone.
Describe stage 5 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.
- Social contract orientation
- Child now does what is right based on law plus personal values and opinions.
- Sees laws as changeable.
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Milgram30
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Methological Issues9
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Experiments87
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Self Report36
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Piliavin40
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Bandura33
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Kohlerg40
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Loftus And Palmer38
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Moray32
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Freud18
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Gould32
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Correlation40
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Sperry18
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Blakemore And Cooper18
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Chaney30
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Lee19
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Observation47
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Grant23
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Simons and Chabris13
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Maguire16
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Casey15
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Levine15
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Bochiarro12
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Hancock13
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Baron-Cohen14
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Core Studies in Their Pairs12
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Key Themes and Areas of Psychology45
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Extra Bits (Unit 1)67
