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Moral Development: Lawrence Kohlberg

Moral Development: Lawrence Kohlberg. Moral Development. T he process through which a person develops proper attitudes and behaviors toward other people in society, based on social and cultural norms, rules, and laws. Lawrence Kohlberg. an American psychologist

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Moral Development: Lawrence Kohlberg

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  1. Moral Development:Lawrence Kohlberg

  2. Moral Development The process through which a person develops proper attitudes and behaviors • toward other people in society, • based on social and cultural norms, rules, and laws.

  3. Lawrence Kohlberg • an American psychologist • viewed moral development as a slow process thatevolved over life time; • a person could not skip stages.

  4. Kohlberg’s stages: Level I: Reward - punishment • Stage 1 (Punishment-Obedience): Morality: obeying rules trying to avoid punishment. Examples: • I won’t cheat because I will get caught. • I won’t steal because I will go to jail. • I won’t speed because I will get a ticket. • I’ll help you because if I don’t, I’ll get in trouble.

  5. Stage 2 (Individual Self-interest): Morality: Right or wrong is determined by what is rewarded, gained, or profited. One’s actions or inactions are based on what they will get from it. Examples: • I will cheat because I will get a better score on the exam. • I won’t tell mom you broke the vase if you don’t tell on me for stealing candy. • I will help you if I get something out of it. Conversely, I’m not going to help you if because there’s nothing in it for me.

  6. Level II: It’s the Law, that’s the rule, everybody else is, it’s in the Bible • Stage 3 (interpersonal conformity): Morality: Right or wrong is determined by seeking approval or avoiding disapproval of people who are close to you (parents, friends, teachers, etc) Examples: • I won’t cheat on the test because my parents will be ashamed of me. • I will steal because it will make me look cool in front of my friends. • I will give to charity because everyone will think highly of me.

  7. Stage 4 (law and order): Morality: Obeying rules, respecting authority, and fulfilling perceived obligations to maintain social order. For example: • I won’t cheat because if everyone cheats, it will be difficult for anyone to distinguish between those who understand physics and those who don’t. • I won’t speed because it is against the law. If everyone speeds, then our laws are meaningless. • You must not shoplift because it is illegal.

  8. Level III: I have studied, I evaluate, We agree, This is fair • Stage 5 (Interpretation of the law): • Morality: right or wrong is determined by society’s rules, which are viewed as fallible, rather than absolute (if violates values of freedom of individual or property rights). For example: • Piracy of movies in China should not be done because(it is illegal) and it infringes upon intellectual property rights • Speeding laws are useful in town, but in rural areas, they violate my freedom to choose the speeds I wish to drive.

  9. Stage 6 (universal/ ethical principles): Morality: justice, human dignity, fairness, principles, independent thought: essential for decisions. Examples: • Saving a life comes before financial gain, even if the person is a stranger. • Laws that restrict access to the court system should be abolished because they impair a person’s access to justice.

  10. Critique of Kohlberg • Does clarifying one’s moral reasoning lead to improved moral behavior? • moral system vs. intellectual examination • Is justice the only aspect of moral reasoning we should consider? - justice vs. care and compassion

  11. Critique of Kohlberg • Does Kohlberg's theory overemphasize the Western emphasis on individualism? - personal rights vs. the importance of society and community.

  12. Carol Gilligan • Pointed out potential sexist and biased elements: only male subjects used; • Concept of morality appears different for men and women; • Men tend to value: equity and justice (places most men in stage five or six).

  13. Carol Gilligan • Women tend to value social interaction: • Tend to base their moral decisions on caring for other human beings; • This places women at stage three, making them appear to be less morally developed than men.

  14. Carol Gilligan • Men determine immorality based on treating others unfairly; • Women base it on turning away someone in need.

  15. Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development:

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