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kohlberg's six stages of moral
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development
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before we dive into the discussion on
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the key concepts of lawrence kohlberg's
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six stages of moral development let me
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provide a very brief background on
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kolberg and his theory
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needless to say this is important so
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that we can put the discussion on
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kohlberg's six stages of moral
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development in a proper
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context in this way we can make more
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sense of the topic under discussion
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first of all lawrence kohlberg was a
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professor of education and social
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psychology at harvard university
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he began as a developmental psychologist
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and then moved to the field of education
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he was influenced by the swiss
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psychologist john piers a who was famous
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for his theory on the moral development
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of children
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kolberg was particularly well known for
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his theory of moral development which he
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developed through his extensive research
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on the topic at harvard center for moral
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education
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as is well known kolberg's theory of
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moral development was derived from his
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interviews with young boys distributed
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from early childhood to late adolescence
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in these interviews kolberg asked the
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participants to respond to hypothetical
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ethical dilemmas such as a man
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contemplating on stealing a drug to save
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his dying wife because he cannot afford
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the drug after exhausting all
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possibilities to pay for it
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the result of the interviews showed a
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pattern of responses which suggested a
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progression in moral reasoning
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thus was born the theory of moral
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development which for kohlberg is the
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basis for ethical behavior
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kolberg thought that moral development
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involves a specific process in time and
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that people progressed in their moral
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reasoning through a series of stages
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it is important to note that kohlberg
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followed the development of moral
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judgment beyond the ages originally
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studied by psa who claimed that logic
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and morality developed through
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constructive stages
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kohlberg expanded considerably on this
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groundwork determining that the process
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of moral development was principally
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concerned with justice
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and that its development continued
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throughout the lifespan even spawning
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dialogue of philosophical implications
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of his research
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the result of the study allowed kohlberg
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to come up with his famous six stages of
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moral development which could be
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generally classified into three levels
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namely pre-conventional level
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conventional level and
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post-conventional level
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as we can see the six stages of moral
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development are divided into three
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levels and each level has two stages
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each of which has a corresponding social
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orientation
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let me briefly explain each stage below
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pre-conventional level
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the pre-conventional level is concerned
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primarily with the consequences of one's
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action
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according to colberg persons in this
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level simply pursue their own interest
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while at the same time avoid sanctions
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here children base their judgments on
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external consequences for example
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punishment and reward
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hence at this level obedience is based
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on authority
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as we can see morality in the
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pre-conventional level is externally
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controlled and children behave
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accordingly that is accept and believe
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the rules imposed by authority figures
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such as parents teachers and community
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elders
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hence children in the pre-conventional
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level have not yet internalized the
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society's conventions about what is
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right and wrong
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instead they focus largely on external
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consequences that certain actions
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engender such as again reward and
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punishment
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as already mentioned there are two
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stages in this level
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the first stage is concerned with
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punishment and authority
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here the child behaves according to
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socially acceptable rules or norms
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because she is told to do so by some
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authority figure like her parents
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teachers pastors or clergy and elders in
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the community
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according to kohlberg the child obeys
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the rules to avoid punishment
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the second stage is concerned with one's
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own interest or advantage
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kohlberg observes that children behave
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in the right way because they thought
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that doing so brings practical results
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hence as kolberg sees it one obeys the
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norms because it is beneficial to
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oneself
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here moral decisions are made based on
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the rewards one can
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receive
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more importantly moral reasoning in the
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second stage shows a limited interest in
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others and as a result concern for
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others is based on instrumental reason
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for example the scratch my back and i'll
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scratch yours mentality rather than on
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loyalty or intrinsic respect
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conventional level
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if in the pre-conventional level the
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child is concerned primarily with the
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consequences of his own action in the
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conventional level the child is
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concerned more with societal
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relationship with emphasis on social
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conformity
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as we can see in the conventional level
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there is a shift from self-interest to
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relationship with other people and
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social systems
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here according to kolberg the individual
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strives to support rules that are set
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forth by others such as parents peers
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and the government to win their approval
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or to maintain social order
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thus in the conventional level children
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continue to accept the rules of
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authority figures not because of
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self-interest but because they thought
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that behaving according to said rules
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will necessarily ensure positive
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relationships and societal order
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it is interesting to note that according
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to kolberg rules and conventions are
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somewhat rigid in this level but
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individuals seldom question said rules
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and conventions
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this is because again behaving according
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to these rules and conventions ensure
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positive relationships and societal
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order
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and since people in this level are more
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concerned with the opinions of others
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moral decisions therefore are made based
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on what the others may say
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according to kohlberg the third and
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fourth stages of moral development
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belong to this level
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the third stage is concerned with peer
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and group acceptance
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this stage according to kohlberg is
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characterized by a behavior that seeks
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to do that which gains the approval of
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peers
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hence kohlberg says that the reactions
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of others are somehow the basis of
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decision making and behavior
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for this reason peer and group
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acceptance become the rule of the day
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and that an individual behaves
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accordingly to maintain good
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relationships with others
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the fourth stage is concerned with
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legalistic orientation
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this stage according to kohlberg is
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characterized by obedience to the law
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responding to the obligations of duty
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and respect of those in authority
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hence this stage emphasizes the
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upholding of the law order doing one's
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duty and obeying social norms
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colbert believes that this stage is
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important because there is a higher
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value in obeying the law than by simply
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seeking the approval of one's peers
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as we can see moral reasoning in this
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stage goes beyond the need for
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individual approval that characterized
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stage three
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hence in stage four children blindly
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obey the law because of their importance
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to maintain a well-functioning society
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post-conventional level
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the post-conventional level which is
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focused on the common good and universal
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moral principles is the most challenging
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level
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according to kohlberg persons at this
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level make judgment based on impartial
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universal moral principles even when
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these judgments may conflict with
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societal standards
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hence in this level the individual's
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sense of morality is defined in terms of
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abstract principles and values
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for this reason individuals now believe
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that some laws are unjust thus they must
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be repelled if not eliminated
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according to kolberg the
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post-conventional level is also
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characterized by a growing realization
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that individuals are separate entities
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from society and that they may disobey
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rules that are inconsistent with their
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own beliefs and principles
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as we can see for colberg
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post-conventional individuals live by
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their own ethical principles which
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typically include basic human rights
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such as right to life liberty and
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justice
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kohlberg also notes that
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post-conventional individuals view rules
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as useful but are always changeable
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rather than absolute dictates that must
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be obeyed without question
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hence in this level laws and rules will
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only be considered as significant
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mechanism for maintaining harmony and
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order in the society
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according to kohlberg the fifth and
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sixth stages belong to this level
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the fifth stage is concerned with the
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common good
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in fact as kolberg says this stage is
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anchored on the understanding of social
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mutuality and genuine interest in the
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welfare of others
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here laws and rules are considered as
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social contracts and these are for the
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good of the community and for equal
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protections of individual rights
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for this reason laws can only be
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accepted or approved relative to the
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common good of the society
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the sixth and last stage is concerned
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with respect for universal principle
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such as the principles of justice
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dignity and equality
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that is why for colberg the basis of
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one's action is not just the common good
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or a social contract but a deeper
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universal principles
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hence according to kolberg moral
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decision is not just based on the laws
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and rules of the society but on one's
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conscience
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now as already hinted above individuals
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grow and develop in progression that is
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from one stage to another
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and it is important to note that for
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colberg an individual cannot just jump
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from stage one to say stage four without
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passing through stages two and three
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thus for kohlberg one's moral
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development is linear and is ordered
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hierarchically
