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Overview on Lawrence Kohlberg

Explanation of Kohlbergs Stages of Moral
Development

Some criticisms on the Stages


A moral philosopher and student of child

development.

Was a director of Harvard's Center for Moral
Education.

Special area of interest:

the moral development of children

how they develop a sense of right, wrong, and
justice.

Planes of moral adequacy to explain the

development of moral reasoning.
Holds that moral reasoning - the basis for ethical
behavior - has 6 identifiable developmental
constructive stages

each more adequate at responding to moral
dilemmas than the last.

These 6 stages grouped into 3 levels:

pre-conventional, conventional and postconventional (or principled).
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Extremely rare to regress backward in stages to lose functionality of higher stage abilities.
No one functions at their highest stage at all
times.
Not possible to 'jump' forward stages

Each stage provides a new yet necessary
perspective

Each stage is more comprehensive,
differentiated, and integrated than its
predecessors.
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LEVEL 3

6. Following self-chosen ethical principles even if

violate law universal ethical principles

Postconventional
(Principled)

5. Valuing rights of others and upholding non-relative

values and rights regardless of majoritys opinion

LEVEL 2
Conventional

4. Maintaining conventional order by fulfilling obligations

Authority and social-order maintaining orientation: Law
and order morality
3. Living up to what is expected by people close to you
Interpersonal accord and conformity: The good boy/

LEVEL 1
Preconventional

good girl attitude

2. Following rules only when its in your immediate interest
Self-interest orientation: What's in it for me?
1. Sticking to rules to avoid physical punishment
Obedience and punishment orientation: How can I avoid
punishment?

Source: S. P. Robbins (2000), Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 6th ed, p. 83.

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 Lacks a perspective of society, moral decisions made based

upon the immediate rewards for self or others, purely
concerned with the self in an egocentric manner.
 Morality of an action judged by its direct consequences.
 Consists of the first and second stages of moral development

Stage One - Obedience and

punishment driven
 Individuals focus on the direct
consequences that their actions will have
for themselves.

Eg. An action is perceived as morally
wrong if the person who commits it gets
punished. The worse the punishment for
the act is, the more 'bad' the act is
perceived to be. In addition, there is no
recognition that others' points of view
are any different from one's own view.
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Stage Two - Self-interest driven



Espouses the what's in it for me position, right behavior being

defined by what is in one's own best interest.

Limited interest in the
needs of others, but
only to a point where it
might further one's own
interests: you scratch
my back, and I'll
scratch yours attitude.

Concern for others is
not based on loyalty or
intrinsic respect.
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 Decisions made by an individual or group based upon

what the individual /group perceives as the social norms
of the society in which they live.
 Morality of actions
judged by comparing
these actions to societal
views and expectations.

Stage Three - Interpersonal accord and

conformity driven
 The self enters society by filling social roles.

Individuals receptive of approval or disapproval from other
people - reflects society's accordance with the perceived role.

Try to be a good boy or good girl to live up to these
expectations, having learned that there is inherent value in
doing so.

May judge the morality of an action by evaluating its
consequences in terms of a person's relationships - begin to
include things like respect and gratitude.

Desire to maintain rules and authority - exists only to further
support these stereotypical social roles.
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Stage Four - Authority and social order obedience driven



Important to obey laws and social

conventions - importance in
maintaining a functioning society.

Moral reasoning beyond the
need for individual approval

Society must learn to
transcend individual needs.

If one person violates a law,
perhaps everyone would
thus an obligation and duty to
uphold laws and rules.

When someone violates a law, it is morally wrong

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Realisation that individuals are separate

entities from society now becomes salient.
One's own perspective viewed before the
society's.
Decisions made based upon the merits of
each individual situation.
Norms of society - ignored as they may
conflict with the principled decision that
ought to be made.
Nature of self before others especially
stage six, is sometimes mistaken for preconventional behaviours.

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Stage Five - Social contract driven



Individuals viewed as holding different opinions and

values.
Laws regarded as social contracts rather than rigid
dictums.
If do not promote the general welfare, should be
changed when necessary

to meet the greatest good for the greatest number of
people.
Attained through majority decision, and inevitably
compromise, e.g. a democratic government .
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Stage Six - Universal ethical principles driven



Moral reasoning based on abstract reasoning using universal

ethical principles.

Laws are valid only insofar as they are grounded in justice,

a commitment to justice carries with it an obligation to
disobey unjust laws.

One acts because it is right, and not because it is instrumental,

expected, legal or previously agreed upon.

Kohlberg insisted that stage six exists, but had difficulty finding
people who consistently used it.

Appears that people rarely if ever reach stage six of Kohlberg's

model.

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 Is MORAL REASONING the same thing as MORAL

BEHAVIOR?

For e.g., a person may say he will do something when given a
moral dilemma. Will that person behave in a way that is consistent
with what he says in a real life dilemma?

 Moral development theories have been driven from how

people live in the West.

May not correctly identify moral development status of culturally
different people with such tests.

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 Reliability of Kohlberg's testing.

Will a child evaluated one day by a particular researcher be
assessed at the same moral level a few days later by a different
researcher?

 Kohlberg is biased against women.

Kohlberg doesn't take into account the differences between men
and women.

Women are more likely to base their explanations for moral
dilemmas on concepts such as caring and personal relationships
more likely to be scored at the Stage 3.

Men, however, are more likely to base their decisions for moral
dilemmas on justice and equity more likely to be scored at Stage
5 or 6.
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Overview on Lawrence Kohlberg

Explanation of Kohlbergs Level and Stages of

Moral Development

Some criticisms on the Stages

Kohlberg

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Additional Material:
Willard , N. (2007) Moral Development in the Information Age, University of
Oregon. Available: http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/articles/willard.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTzBrjxKHLg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25uWFqES0OA

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