Stages of Moral Development Flashcards
He developed the Stages of Moral Development model.
Lawrence Kohlberg
The stages of moral development constitute an adaptation of a psychological theory originally conceived by the Swiss psychologist
Jean Piaget
A continuous process that occurs throughout an individual’s lifespan
The process of developing principles of right and wrong and the goodness or hardness of human
Moral Development
3 Levels of Moral Development:
Each level is associated with increasingly complex stages of moral development.
- Pre-Conventional
- Conventional
- Post-Conventional
At this level, individuals don’t have a personal code of morality. Instead, their moral code is shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences of following or breaking their rules. Authority is outside the individual and reasoning is based on the physical consequences of the child’s actions.
Pre-Conventional Level
Stages of the Pre-Conventional Level:
- Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation
- Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange / Instrumental Orientation
The child should be good and obey in order to avoid being punished. If they are punished, they must have done wrong.
Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation
At this stage, children recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities.
In this, it expresses the “What’s in it for me?” position, in which right behavior is defined by whatever the individual believes to be in their best interest.
Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange / Instrumental Orientation
At this level, children, some adolescents, and some adults begin to internalize the moral standards of valued adult role models and societal expectations.
Conventional Level
Stages of the Conventional Level:
- Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships / Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
- Stage 4: Maintaining the Social Order / Law and Order Orientation
In this stage, the individual is doing good in order to be seen as being a good person by others. They act in ways to the approval of others.
Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships / Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
In this stage, the individual becomes aware of the wider rules of society, so judgments concern obeying the rules in order to uphold the law and maintain a functioning society.
Stage 4: Maintaining the Social Order / Law and Order Orientation
At this level, individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice.
Post-Conventional Level
Stages of the Post-Conventional Level:
Stage 5: Individual Rights / Social-Contract Orientation
