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Kohlberg's stages of moral development were developed by Lawrence
Kohlberg to explain the development of moral reasoning. This theory
holds that moral reasoning, which Kohlberg thought to be the basis
for ethical behavior, has developmental stages. From the results
of his studies at Harvard's Center for Moral Education with colleague
Sandy Roney-Hays, Kohlberg concluded that there are six identifiable
stages of moral development. These stages can be classified into
three levels. Note that these stages are known by various names.
Stages - Level 1 (Pre-conventional):
- Obedience and punishment orientation
- Self-interest orientation
Level 2 (Conventional):
- Interpersonal accord and conformity (The good boy/good girl
attitude)
- Authority and social-order maintaining orientation (Law and
order morality)
Level 3 (Post-conventional):
- Social contract orientation
- Universal ethical principles (Principled conscience)
An explanation of the stages - Pre-Conventional
The pre-conventional level of moral reasoning is especially common
in children, although adults can also exhibit this level of reasoning.
Reasoners in the pre-conventional level judge the morality of
an action by its direct consequences. The pre-conventional level
is divided into two stages: stage one (obedience and punishment
orientation); stage two (self-interest orientation).
| Stage one |
Stage two |
Individuals focus
on the direct consequences that their actions will have for
themselves. For example, they think that an action is morally
wrong if the person who commits it gets punished. |
Espouses the what's in it for me position; right behavior
being defined by what is in one's own best interest. Stage two
reasoning shows a limited interest in the needs of others, but
only to a point where it might furthers one's own interests, such
as "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." Concern
for others is not based on loyalty or intrinsic respect in stage
two. |
Conventional:
The conventional level of moral reasoning is typical of adolescents
and adults. Persons who reason in a conventional way judge the morality
of actions by comparing these actions to social rules and expectations.
The conventional level consists of stages three and four of moral
development.
| Stage three |
Stage four |
Individuals whose moral reasoning is in stage
three seek approval from other people. They try to be a good boy
or good girl having learned that there is inherent value in doing
so. Stage three reasoning may judge the morality of an action
by evaluating its consequences in terms of a person's relationships. |
It is important to obey the laws and social
conventions because of its importance to maintaining society.
Moral reasoning in stage four is thus beyond the need for approval
exhibited in stage three. |
Post-Conventional - The post-conventional level consists of stages five and six of moral
development.
| Stage five |
Stage six |
Persons have certain principles to which they
may attach more value than laws, such as human rights or social
justice. In this reasoning, actions are wrong if they violate
these ethical principles. Laws are regarded as social contracts
rather than dictums, and must be changed when necessary (provided
there is agreement). By this reasoning laws that do not promote
general social welfare, should be changed. Democratic governments
are ostensibly based on Stage five reasoning. |
Moral reasoning is based on the use of abstract
reasoning using universal ethical principles. One way to do this
is by imagining oneself in everyone else's shoes, imagining what
they would decide if they were doing the same. While Kohlberg
insisted that stage six exists, he had difficulty finding participants
who use it. It appears that people rarely if ever reach stage
six of Kohlberg's model. |
Other:
Kohlberg also observed that there is a stage 4½ or 4+ which
is a transition from stage four to stage five. This stage is where
people have become disaffected with the arbitrary nature of law
and order reasoning and become moral relativists. This transition
stage may result in either progress to stage five or in regression
to stage four.
Kohlberg further speculated that a seventh stage may exist (Transcendental
Morality) which would link religion with moral reasoning.
Click here to see the examples of Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. |
