Moral Development & Empathy Flashcards
Kohlberg’s Stage Theory (General)
Stages have characteristics of Piagetian stages
Qualitative change, structured wholeness, fixed order
Classification based on responses to moral dilemas
“The story of Heinz”
Classification does NOT depend on what Heinz does
Classification depends on reasoning behind Heinz’ action
Level 1 of Kolhberg’s Stage Theory
: Pre-Conventional Level
Level 1 persons do not consider social conventions
i.e., society’s beliefs about what is right/wrong
Are too cognitively immature to consider soc conventions
Stage 1: Punishment Stage
If it will be punished, don’t do it (i.e., it’s “wrong”)
Anything else is “OK/right”
Different people have different ideas about what will be punished
some standard examples
Stage 2: Cost/Benefit Analysis
Person weighs costs (punishment) vs. benefit (possible gain) of each possible action (e.g., steal vs. don’t steal drug)
Chooses action according to which will maximize benefit relative to cost
Different persons have different ideas about what would be most beneficial relative to cost
Standard examples
Level 2 of Kohlberg’s Stage Theory
: Conventional Level
- Level 2 person considers social conventions
i.e., society’s beliefs about what you should do
Stage 3: Good boy/girl Stage
Want social approval
Approval by specific persons or groups of people
Why would 2 Stage-3 people act differently?
Different people have different ideas about:
What will bring social approval
Whose approval they want most
Stage 4: Law and Order
Person follows the law
Law represents what society wants one to do
“Law” defined very broadly
Includes religious laws
Includes non-legal social conventions (behavioral norms)
“Don’t tattle!”
Why would 2 different Stage-4 people act differently?
“Laws” may conflict with each other
Superficial thinking about law
Laws are obeyed because you are supposed to obey them (blind obedience)
Vs. non-superficial thinking in higher stages
Most Americans in Stage 4—but that’s OK!!
Level 3 of Kohlberg’s Stage Theory
: Post-Conventional Level
Stage 5: Social Contract
Based on Rousseau-ian concept of Social Contract
Laws are obeyed because they reflect the Social Contract
Laws may be broken
But only when doing so will better fulfill the contract
But not for selfish reasons or for own convenience
“Letter of law” vs. “Spirit of the law” may conflict
Stage 5 person acts according to spirit of law
Stage 4 person acts according to letter of law
This is more “superficial”
Stage 6: Universal Justice
Based on Kantian principle = Categorical Imperative
“Your actions should be those that you would accept in any other person in society”
All persons have equal value (your wife = a stranger)
Social Contract may not always reflect Universal Justice
Laws may be broken
But only when necessary for universal justice
Determining most “just” behavior requires considering & coordinating all points of view
Kohlberg & Piaget Comparison
Cognitive development is necessary (but not sufficient) for moral development
Must be post-egocentric for Level 2 (Conventional Level)
Must be formal operational for Level 3
A person may be cognitively advanced but morally retarded
Need socialization as well as cognitive developmt
Age & Moral Development (a la Piaget)
Can’t reach Conventional Level before 7 years
Can’t reach Post-Conventional Level before 11
Limitations of Kohlberg’s Theory
- Moral thinking does not always predict moral behavior
Emotion is neglected
Emotion can interfere with moral behavior
Temptation! Fear!
Emotion can facilitate/promote moral behavior
Guilt and shame (can be good)
Empathy
Nancy Eisenberg on Empathy
Main idea
Empathy can sometimes—but not always—motivate you to help someone in distress
“Helping someone in distress” = morally desirable behavior
What is Empathy?
An emotion process (not an emotion)
Perceiving another’s emotion and then feeling the same emotion yourself
Perceive via seeing, hearing, reading about
Like “emotion contagion”
Can apply to all emotions
E.g., happiness, fear, sadness
Moral development literature focuses on empathic distress
Two forms of Distress
Sympathy
Feel the other person’s distress
Focus more on their distress, not your own empathy-produced distress
Personal Distress
Feel the other person’s distress
But focus more on your own empathy-produced distress rather than the other’s distress
Factors Promoting Sympathy
Moderate intensity of empathic response Why is this better than very intense empathy? Why is this better than low intensity empathy? Factors promoting moderate empathy Temperament Emotion regulation Temporary distraction Self-soothing
Factors Promoting Helping
Socialization Learning to act on your sympathy/empathy by helping Parenting Practices that promote this Modeling Reinforcement Discussion/explanation (rational induction) Generally nurturing Providing practice opportunities
