Activities in Relation to Kohlberg’s theory of Moral Reasoning

1. Activities in Relation to Kohlberg’s theory of Moral Reasoning • A Study that investigates if certain activities correlate with higher levels of Moral Reasoning, as defined by Kohlberg by Jonathan Guedalia

2. Lawrence Kohlberg • 1927: Born and raised in Bronxville, New York • Showed great interest in helping others -He enlisted as an engineer on a carrier ship and smuggled Jews to safety from Europe to Palestine by placing beds inside banana crates • Personal moral decisions likely led to his later theory on morality • 1948: Enrolled in the University of Chicago where he showed interest in Piaget’s work

3. Kohlberg cont. • 1949: Just a year after enrolling, Kohlberg earns his bachelor's degree in psychology • 1958: Completed Dissertation with in-depth approach of his six-stage theory of cognitive moral development • Taught at the University of Chicago as a developmental psychologist • 1968: Taught education and social psychology at Harvard University

4. Kohlberg... • Visited Israel and countries in Asia to test his theories. • Adapted the dilemmas to fit the culture • (ie. Bridge Dilemma) • 1971: While researching in Belize, Kohlberg gets a tropical disease that causes both physical pain and depression • 1984: Essays on the Philosophy and Psychology of Moral Development are Published in 1981 & 1984 • January 19, 1987: Kohlberg commits suicide in Boston Harbor

5. Definition • Morality reasoning: judgements about right and wrong. http://eqi.org/kohlberg.htm

6. theory • Expands on Piaget’s theory • 6 stages; 2 levels

7. LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL MORALITY • STAGE 1: • MOTIVES: Action is motivated by avoidance of punishment, and “conscience” is irrational fear of punishment • Similar to Piaget’s first stage of moral thought • Children do not speak as members of society; instead they see morality as external • Child looks no further than laws set by authorities such as parents and God • will not steal because • “it’s against the law” • “it’s bad to steal” • “stealing is bad because you will be punished”

8. Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange • MOTIVES: Action is motivated by the desire for reward or benefit. Possible guilt reactions are ignored and punishment viewed in a pragmatic manner. Differentiates own fear, pleasure, or pain from punishment consequences. • Children can see there’s not just one authoritative view • Sees two viewpoints in a response such as “Heinz might think it’s right to take the drug, the druggist would not.” • Pursues individual interest; self-interested • “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” • Still considered preconventional reasoning, because respondents speak as isolated individuals rather than members of society • No identification with community values

9. Level 2: Conventional Morality • STAGE 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships • MOTIVES: Action is motivated by anticipation of disapproval of others, actual or imagined hypothetical (ie. guilt). Differentiates disapproval from punishment, fear, and pain. • This stage usually apparent as children entering their teens • Recognize that one should live up to community standards by showing good behavior such as love, empathy and trust for others • “he was a good man for wanting to save her” • “his intentions were good, that of saving the life of someone he loves” • describing druggist as “selfish” and “greedy”

10. Stage 4: Maintaining the Social Order • MOTIVES: Action is motivated by anticipation of dishonor; that is, institutionalized blame for failures of duty, and by guilt over concrete harm done to others. • Respondent becomes concerned with society as a whole • Following rules to maintain social order • People think “from a full-fledged member of society perspective.” • “I shouldn’t steal because if we all started breaking laws whenever we felt we had a good reason, chaos would erupt and society couldn’t function” • Seems similar to stage 1? As far as the “No” answer’s concerned, yes, but the reasoning in stage 4 transcends the thought process of stage 1 by acknowledging the function of laws in society of a whole.

11. Level 3 -Postconventional Morality • Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights • Respondents think past a functional society to consider if it’s a good society by considering the rights and values a society should maintain • Think from a “prior-to-society” perspective by evaluating what makes a society good • This perspective usually includes democratic principles, such as basic rights, fair laws and democratic procedures • “It is the husband’s duty to save his wife. The fact that they her life is in danger transcends every other standard you might use to judge his action.” • “Still should maintain a legal standpoint by punishing Heinz slightly if he steals the drug.” • Think more independently than stage 4 respondents. Does not base “right to life” on conventional thinking, but instead on logical thinking of what society should value.

12. Stage 6: Universal Principles (theoretical stage) • MOTIVES: Principles that seek to achieve justice that a democracy or majority vote cannot always satisfy • Based on philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi • Principles of justice that equally respect each person. (ie. minorities) • This perspective requires taking the role of others by looking at a situation in the eyes of both parties involved • Very few people tested consistently in stage 6, so Kohlberg classified it as theoretical.

13. Question? • Do certain activities such as interaction with parents, watching television or reading translate to higher levels of moral reasoning?

14. Hypothesis • Children who spend the most time interacting and discussing issues with parents will show higher levels of moral reasoning.

15. Study: • Activities questionnaire • Heinz dilemma • 21 students in middle school • 7th and 8th grade classes

17. Testing environment

18. Heinz Dilemma • “In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only get together about $2,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” So having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.”

19. TV

20. Parents

21. Reading

22. Top 10’s

23. Top 10’s cont.

24. One last Top 10

25. TV, Parents, Reading

26. What I Learned: • Parental influence does NOT correspond with higher levels of moral reasoning. • The top 3 were in the lowest Preconventional stage • Those most influenced by TV have the highest number of conventional, second stage thinkers • My initial hypothesis ≠ correct, I should temper my judgement

27. Limitations • Surveys are on paper; It may be better to interview the students to get more input and make sure they understand the dilemma and questions • Survey was limited in determining the quality of material students read and watch • Not enough time for interviews

28. Works Cited • "Kohlberg." Emotional Intelligence . N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://eqi.org/kohlberg.htm>. • Kohlberg, Lawrence. The philosophy of moral development: moral stages and the idea of justice. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981. Print. • Kohlberg, Lawrence. The psychology of moral development: the nature and validity of moral stages. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984. Print. • Kohlberg's Dissertation • Textbook