Moral Development

awrence kohlberg moral development theory

Lawrence Kohlberg’s 6 Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s moral concepts were always challenging for me because they were so unique and rarely discussed in nursing. However, he’s frequently cited for thoroughly exploring the morality in children and providing essential viewpoints.

A Brief Biography 

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927 –1987) extended Sigmund Freud’s superego stage and became interested in Jean Piaget’s work on the moral development of children. According to Piaget, children naturally progress from a form of moral reasoning based on the consequences of an act (e.g., punishment) to one that takes the actor’s intentions into account.

Lawrence Kohlberg (1958) agreed with Piaget’s (1932) theory of moral development in principle but wanted to develop his ideas further. He used Piaget’s storytelling technique to tell people stories involving moral dilemmas (-Simply Psychology).

Kohlberg interviewed 72 lower- and middle-class white boys, presenting each with a moral dilemma: whether it would be permissible for a poor man to steal medicine for his dying wife. The children’s responses became the basis of his six-stage theory of moral development.

Kohlberg’s theory was highly influential, especially in psychology and education. No other account had provided such a detailed explanation of children’s moral development. Moreover, during a time when most psychologists were behaviorists, Kohlberg’s work broke new ground by concentrating on cognitive phenomena.

In 1971, while doing research in Belize, Kohlberg reportedly contracted a parasitic infection that caused him to be physically ill and depressed through much of the rest of his life. In 1987, he committed suicide.

Britannica

6 Stages of Moral Development 

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development defined three levels of moral development; pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Each level has two distinct stages:

Preconventional Morality:

  • Stage 1: Obedience and punishment. The child is motivated to avoid punishment and has little or no independent moral reasoning.
  • Stage 2: Individualism and exchange. Individuals are focused on fulfilling their own self-interests while acknowledging that different people have different views.

Conventional Morality:

  • Stage 3: Maintaining interpersonal relationships. At this stage, individuals emphasize the importance of being kind to other people, engaging in “good” behavior, and showing concern for others. This stage includes a strong emphasis on gaining approval.
  • Stage 4: Law and order. The individual is determined to obey the rules, focusing on the value that the law adds to human life. A person at this stage might argue that breaking the law is wrong because the law is designed to protect people. Stage 4 individuals focus on maintaining the social order and upholding cultural norms.

Post-Conventional Morality:

  • Stage 5: Social contract. People at this stage of development focus on doing what is best for society as a whole and respecting individual rights. Civil disobedience would be endorsed by people in both stages of post-conventional morality.
  • Stage 6: Universal principles. At this stage, individuals are focused on upholding principles of universal justice, fairness, and ethics. They believe in the democratic process, but also endorse disobeying unjust laws.

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A Quick Summary

The first level of moral thinking is generally found at the elementary school level. In the first stage of this level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are told to do so by some authority figure (e.g., a parent or teacher). This obedience is compelled by the threat or application of punishment. The second stage of this level is characterized by a view that the right behavior means acting in one’s own best interests.

The second level of moral thinking is generally found in society, hence the name “conventional.” The first stage of this level (stage 3) is characterized by an attitude that seeks to do what will gain the approval of others. The second stage is one oriented toward abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty.

The third level of moral thinking is one that Kohlberg felt is not reached by the majority of adults. Its first stage (stage 5) is an understanding of social mutuality and a genuine interest in the welfare of others. The last stage (stage 6) is based on respect for universal principles and the demands of individual conscience. While Kohlberg always believed in the existence of Stage 6 and had some nominees for it, he could never get enough subjects to define it, much less observe their longitudinal movement to it.

Kohlberg believed that individuals could only progress through these stages one stage at a time. That is, they could not “jump” stages. They could not, for example, move from an orientation of selfishness to the law and order stage without passing through the good boy/girl stage. They could only come to a comprehension of a moral rationale one stage above their own. Thus, according to Kohlberg, it was important to present them with moral dilemmas for discussion which would help them to see the reasonableness of a “higher stage” morality and encourage their development in that direction.

Notre Dame

Additional Information & References 

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