B R I TTA N Y B E A M E

LAWRENCE KOHLBERG

BIOGRAPHY

• Lawrence Kohlberg lived from 1927 to 1987• He was a professor at University of Chicago and

at Harvard University• He was best known for his theory of the stages of

moral development

JEAN PIAGET• Kohlberg followed Piaget’s footsteps and studied

moral judgment• Kohlberg’s work reflected/extended Piaget’s ideas

while still creating a new field within psychology: “moral development”• It took him 5 years before he was able to publish

an article with his views• Kohlberg was considered to be one of the 30th

most eminent psychologists of the 20th century

MORAL DEVELOPMENT

• Kohlberg thought that moral development was principally concerned with justice, and that it continued throughout the individual's lifetime• He relied on stories like the Heinz Dilemma• Six identifiable developmental stages

HEINZ DILEMMA

• Heinz's wife was near death, and her only hope was a drug that had been discovered by a pharmacist who was selling it for an exorbitant price. The drug cost $20,000 to make, and the pharmacist was selling it for $200,000. Heinz could only raise $50,000 and insurance wouldn't make up the difference. He offered what he had to the pharmacist, and when his offer was rejected, Heinz said he would pay the rest later. Still the pharmacist refused. In desperation, Heinz considered stealing the drug. Would it be wrong for him to do that?

• Should Heinz have broken into the store to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?

WHY IT MATTERS

• It is not important what the participant thinks that Heinz should do• Kohlberg’s theory says that the justification the

participant offers is what is significant, the form of their response

THE SIX STAGES• Level One: Pre-conventional

1. Obedience and punishment2. Self-interest orientation

• Level Two: Conventional3. Interpersonal accord and conformity4. Law-and-order

• Level Three: Post-conventional5. Social contract orientation6. Universal ethical principles

PRE-CONVENTIONAL

• Especially common in children• Judging the morality of an action by it’s direct

consequences• Individual has not yet adopted what society views

as “right” and “wrong”

OBEDIENCE

• How can I avoid punishment?• The act is morally wrong because the individual

was punished• The worse the punishment, then the more “bad”

the act is viewed as• Lacks recognition that other’s points of view are

different from one’s own

SELF-INTEREST

• What's in it for me?• Paying for a benefit• Defined by whatever the individual believes to be

in their best interest• Shows limited interest in the needs of others

CONVENTIONAL

• Typical of adolescents and adults• Judging the morality of actions by comparing

them to society’s views and expectations• The individual obeys rules and follows society’s

norms even when there are no consequences for disobedience present• A rule’s appropriateness or fairness is seldom

questioned

CONFORMITY

• Social norms• The good boy/good girl attitude• Individuals are receptive to approval or

disapproval from others• Judge the morality of an action by evaluating it’s

consequences in terms of relationships (includes respect, gratitude, and the golden rule)

LAW-AND-ORDER

• Authority and social-order maintaining • It’s important to obey laws because of their role

in maintaining a functioning society• Most active members of society remain here

where morality is predominately dictated by an outside source

POST CONVENTIONAL

• Also known as the principled level• Growing realization that individuals are separate

entities from society• Individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with

their own principles (such as human rights as life, liberty, and justice)• Some theorists speculated that many people may

never reach this level of moral reasoning

SOCIAL CONTRACT

• Human rights• World holds different opinions, rights, and values• Laws are regarded as social contracts rather than

rigid edicts• Democratic government is based on this stage-

“the greatest good for the greatest number of people”

UNIVERSAL HUMAN ETHICS

• Principled conscience• Moral reasoning is based on abstract reasoning

and legal rights are not necessary• A commitment to justice carries with it an

obligation to disobey unjust laws• The individual acts because it is right, and not

because it is instrumental, expected, legal, or previously agreed upon• Although Kohlberg claims this sixth level exists,

he found it difficult to find individuals who consistently operate on this level

FURTHER STAGES

• Kohlberg noted a transition stage between level 4 and 5 (named stage 4 ½ or 4+) which shared the characteristics of both• Culpability (to be at fault/blamed) is frequently

being turned from being defined by society to viewing society itself as culpable• He noted that this stage was often observed in

students entering college

CRITICISM

• Carol Gilligan argues that because Kohlberg’s theory was developed using only male participants that it doesn’t adequately describe the concerns of women• In response, Gilligan developed an alternative

moral theory based on the ethics of caring• Critics argue against her however, saying that her

research is ill-founded and that no evidence exists to support her conclusion

CLASSROOM APPLICATIONS

• I plan to use Kohlberg’s theories to help my children comprehend society and why there are rules and structure• I planning on teaching third grade so I will most

likely encounter the pre-conventional stages of levels 1 and 2

REFERENCES

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg• http://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinz_dilemma• http://

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/culpable