Assignment

Subject:
Educational psychology

Submitted to:
Ms. Satwat Bokhari

Submitted by:
M. MUSTABEEN
Roll#.08
Bs psychology-6th semester
Department of psychology

Date:2 April,2020

Bahauddin Zakariya University

Multan
 Topic: -
Difference between Kohlberg’s
and Piaget's moral theory.
Piaget’s theory of moral
development.
Main concept
 Piaget believed that youth at this age begin
to understand that morals represent social
agreements between people and are
intended to promote the common good.
 Piaget believed that observing children
playing games and querying them about the
rules provided a realistic “lab on life” for
understanding how morality principles
develop.
Point of view about children
 Piaget saw children as little logicians.
 Piaget was principally interested not in
what children do but in what they think.
In other words, he was interested in
children’s moral reasoning. He was
concerned about how children judge
that certain concept is right or wrong in
contrast with Kohlberg.
Kohlberg’s theory of
development.
 Kohlberg believed that moral development,
like cognitive development, follows a series
of stages. He used the idea of moral
dilemmas to teach 10 to 16-year-old boys
about morality and values.
 Kohlberg believed that it is not possible to
study moral understanding without also
coming to grips with philosophy.
 Kohlberg viewed children as moral
philosopher.
 Kohlberg assessed morality by
asking children to consider certain
moral dilemmas – situations in which
right and wrong actions are not
always clear. He was not concerned
with whether the children decided
that certain actions were right or
wrong, but with their reasoning – at
how they arrived at their
conclusions.

Stages of Moral Development

 According to piaget, there are three stages of moral development,
 Moral reasoning develops through childhood due to disequilibrium
and decreasing egocentrism.
 Kohlberg gave three levels of moral development and in each
level, there are two stages of moral development.
 Paiget discussed three major aspects for moral development
specifically in children i.e. Children’s Understanding of Rule,
Children’s Moral Judgments, Gender and Moral Development.
 While Kohlberg was more interested in conventional rules. That’s
why in his whole theory he emphasized on this theme and was
criticized for this later. Following are the details,
  Stage 1- pre-moral (0 – 5 years)
” Little understanding of rules as children can’t carry
out complex mental operations. Behavior is
regulated from outside the child (sensorimotor & pre-
operational)”
The child is still mastering motor and social skills
and unconcerned with morality.
 Stage 2- heteronomous/moral realism (5–
9years)
“Rules are rigid and given by adults. Rules tell you
what is right or wrong. Consequences dictate the
severity of a behavior, not the intentions (pre-
operational & concrete operational)”
The stage of heteronomous morality is also known
as moral realism – morality imposed from the
outside. Children regard morality as obeying other
people's rules and laws, which cannot be changed.
They accept that all rules are made by some
authority figure (e.g. Parents, teacher, god), and that
breaking the rules will lead to immediate and severe
punishment. During this stage children consider
rules as being absolute and unchanging, i.e. 'Divine
like'.  they think that rules cannot be changed and
have always been the same as they are now.
Behavior is judged as “bad” in terms of the
observable consequences, regardless on the
intentions or reasons for that behavior.
 Stage 3-autonomous morality/moral
relativism (10 years upwards)
“Emphasis’s co-operation. Rules are changeable
under certain circumstances and with mutual
consent. (concrete and formal operational)”
It is also known as moral relativism – morality based
on your own rules. Children recognize there is no
absolute right or wrong and that morality depends on
intentions not consequences. Piaget believed that
around the age of 9-10 children’s understanding of
moral issues undergo a fundamental reorganization.
By now they are beginning to overcome the
egocentrism of middle childhood and have
developed the ability to see moral rules from other
people’s point of view. A child who can decenter to
take other people’s intentions and circumstances
into account can move to making the more
independent moral judgements of the second stage.
As a result, children’s ideas on the nature of rules
themselves, on moral responsibility and on
punishment and justice all change and their thinking
 Level 1: preconventional morality.
“The preconventional child thinks of morality in
terms of the consequences of disobedience to
adult rules in order to avoid punishment”
Stage 1- “punishment and obedience” (2-
4years)
In this stage children are taught to obey their
parents, or these powerful authority figures will
physically punish them. The child’s understanding
is that punishment must be avoided for her/his
own comfort. The child is still unable to view the
world from the perspective of others and behavior
is largely guided by Freud’s pleasure principle
although the ego begins to emerge as the child
understands that reality calls for discretion.
Stage 2. “individualism, instrumentalism” (4-
7years)
By stage 2 the child recognizes that there is
mutual benefit in cooperation. The child is a bit
less egocentric at this stage, recognizing that if
one is good to others then they in terms will be
good to them. There is now the notion that
everyone looks out for their own needs, but that
proper social exchanges are on a “tit-for-tat” basis.
 Level 2: conventional morality.
“The conventional child begins to grasp social
rules and gains a more objective perspective on
right and wrong”
Stage 3. “interpersonal relationships” or
“good girl/boy” (7-10)
The major motivating factor in good behavior is
social approval from those closest to the child.
Like parents and siblings.
Stage 4. “law and order” (10-12)
This sense of order becomes generalized beyond
close others to society at large. The concept of
“doing one’s duty” is crucial here.
 Level 3: postconventional morality.
“At this level the emphasis is no longer on
conventional, societal standards of morality, but
rather on personal or idealized principles”
Stage 5. “social contract” (teens)
The understanding is that laws, rules, and
regulations are created for the mutual benefit of all
citizens. Laws that are unjust ought to be
changed. People at this stage understand and
believe in democracy in action.
Stage 6. “universal ethical principles” (adult)
becomes more like that of adults. Children now
understand that rules do not come from some
mystical “divine- like” source. People make rules and
people can change them.
Right and wrong are not determined by rules and
laws, but by individual reflection on what is proper
behavior. One might think here of Kant’s
categorical imperative in which right and wrong
apply equally to all, without regard to
consequences that all life is sacred take
precedence over all laws and conventions.

Findings
 (Moral Realism)
Younger children focus on the consequences
of behavior.
 (Moral relativism)
Children aged 10 and above see the
motivation or intent behind the act as
important.
Criticism
 Focuses on consequences not intention.
 Ignores cultural influences.
 Piaget didn’t explain What happens after 13.
 Lack of conventional rules.
 Moral reasoning does not develop through
parents and educators teaching values,
but through social interaction stimulating
mental processing.
 When challenged by a moral problem and
current thinking is insufficient, we look for
more adequate ways of solving these
problems.
 Its gendered.
 Its culturally biased.
 Kohlberg’s theory is based on research
with exclusively male samples.
 Shows women are inferior than men.

Conclusion: -
In conclusion, Piaget emphasized universal cognitive change. Piaget's theory emphasized
the natural line. the results of Piaget's work changed the way that teachers, parents and all
those who work with and around children observe the children's behavior and response to
their environment. Piaget's work specifically had an impact on the teaching of education in
schools. His theory of intellectual or cognitive development, published in 1936, is still used
today in some branches of education and psychology. It focuses on children, from birth
through adolescence, and characterizes different stages of development, including language,
morals. While Kohlberg’s theory concludes that at stage 1 child think of what is right as that
which authority says is right. Doing the right thing is obeying authority and avoiding
punishment. At stage 2, children are no longer so impressed by any single authority. At stages
3 and 4, young people think as members of the conventional society with its values, norms,
and expectations. At stage 3, they emphasize being a good person, which basically means
having helpful motives toward people close to one. At stage 4, the concern shifts toward
obeying laws to maintain society. At stages 5 and 6 people are less concerned with
maintaining society for its own sake, and more concerned with the principles and values that
make for a good society. At stage 5 they emphasize basic rights and the democratic
processes that give everyone a say, and at stage 6 they define the principles by which
agreement will be most just.
REFERENCES:-
 WARWICK.AC .UK › ETHICAL BEINGS ›
 SLIDE SHARE
 CAMBRIDGE , MA: HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS . KOHLBERG, L., LEVINE , C., & H EWER , A. (1981).
 IN A DIFFERENT VOICE : P SYCHOLOGICAL THEORY AND WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT. • L IGHT, VOL. 15,
NO . 2, PP. 231-239, S UMMER 1978