Moral Development - Minnesota State University Moorhead



Moral Development Kohlberg's Theory

Kohlberg believed moral development unfolded in a series of discrete stages in an unchangeable sequence.

There are three different levels with two different stages, each are evaluated by using hypothetical moral dilemmas.

The first level is the preconventional level: moral problems are interpreted in terms of physical or material concerns (punishment and reward) and hedonistic wishes.

Stage 1:

The second level is the conventional level: morality is considered through mutual interpersonal expectations or social system and conscious.

The third level is the postconventional level: distinguishes between basic human rights and obligations.

Age-related Changes in Moral Reasoning

There are clear relationship between age and moral reasoning.

Stage 3 peaks in late adolescence or early adulthood, and then, declines.

Stage 4 usually does not appear in 10-year-olds but is reflected in the majority of judgments in 36-year-old.

Stage 5 does not appear until the age of 22, and is usually seen in less than 10 percent of participants' judgments.

Determinants of Moral Development

Chronological age by itself is not a prime determinant of moral change. Attainment of postconventional morality is dependent on achievement of formal operations.

Advanced moral reasoning is dependent on the growth of postformal styles of thinking within the domain of personal knowledge.

Postconventional morality has much in common with Baltes' concept of wisdom.

Moral development is promoted by social environments that give the individual a broad range of role-taking experiences and real-life positions of moral responsibility.

The importance of Moral Development

Individuals should improve in the effectiveness of decisions about moral dilemmas.

Postconventional reasoner’s bring a broader, more balanced point of view to a moral problem.

Moral reasoning is related to moral behavior

Moral reasoning is related to how adults cope with negative life events in that they are able to make better decisions for their treatments and adjustments.

Alternatives and Criticisms to Kohlberg's Theory

Carol Gilligan views Kohlberg's theory as male-biased; adult males are more likely to be scored in the higher stage 4 and females as stage 3 due to male justice orientation and female relationship orientation.

Moral problems in real-life contexts have little in common with Kohlberg's hypothetical dilemmas.

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