KOHLBERG’S THEORY

OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
LAWRENCE KOHLBERG (1927 –
1983)
 Studied Psychology at
the University of
Chicago.
 Proposed three distinct
levels of moral
reasoning:
preconventional,
conventional, and
postconventional.
 MORAL DEVELOPMENT
The gradual development of
an individuals concept of
right or wrong –
conscious, religious
values, social attitudes
and certain behaviour.
LEVELS OF MORAL REASONING
 STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Pre – Conventional Post -
Conventional Conventional
Stage 1 Stage 3 Stage 5
Punishment Good Boy Social
and Good Girl Contract
Obedience

Stage 2 Stage 4 Stage 6

Mutual Benefit Law Universal
and Order Ethical
Principle
ACTIVITY (PERFORMANCE)
Stage Age Group Characteristics Disadvantages
(Drawbacks)
DRAWBACKS OF EACH STAGES

Level 1
Stage 1 –Punishment and Obedience
*self – centered
* Is the reward justifiable?
Stage 2 – Mutual Benefit
*individual differences
*People may not appreciate
what you have.
DRAWBACKS OF EACH STAGES
Level 2
Stage 3 – Good Boy/ Good Girl

* peer pressure
* being nice is not always
appreciated
Stage 4 – Law and Order

* challenges the status quo

DRAWBACKS OF EACH STAGES
Level 3
Stage 5 – Social Contract

* normal is not usually right

* possibility of changing the
laws
Stage 6 – Universal Ethical Principles

* Value of life prevails over

property.
PROBLEMS WITH KOHLBERG’S
METHODS
1. Dilemmas are artificial
(Subjects were not married.)

2. Sample is biased
(Androcentric – stages reflect a male’s
definition of morality)
PROBLEMS WITH KOHLBERG’S
METHODS
3. Dilemmas are hypothetical
(Would subjects reason in the same way
if they were placed in a real situation?)

4. Poor research design

(May not have been the best way to
test the process.)