2. Moral Development
0 What does “moral” mean?
0 At various times in our lives, our morals are
challenged when we are confronted with a moral
dilemma. In these situations we have to decide which
one of two courses of action to take, both of which can
make us feel psychologically uncomfortable.
0 Moral dilemma: A social problem which has two or
more solutions, each of which is ‘wrong’ in some way.

3. Moral Development
0 The gradual development of an individual’s
concept of right and wrong.
0 Includes the development of a
‘conscience’, spiritual values, social
attitudes, certain behaviours.
0 Morals are learned from experience.

4. Lawrence Kohlberg’s
Stages of Moral Development
0Theory inspired by Jean Piaget:
The development of moral reasoning
progresses sequentially through a series of
developmental stages (Piaget’s cognitive
stages).
0Method- Moral dilemmas (Heinz): to
investigate children’s reasoning.
06 stages in total: 3 Broad levels of
moral development, 2 stages each.

5. Scenario 1: The Heinz Dilemma
0 A woman was near death from a unique kind of
cancer. There is a drug that might save her. The drug
costs $4,000 per dosage. 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. He asked the doctor
scientist who discovered the drug for a discount or let
him pay later. But the doctor scientist refused.
Should Heinz break into the laboratory to steal the
drug for his wife? Why or why not?

6. Scenario 2: Hungry Crew Member
0 You and a friend are working at McDonald’s.
0 6am – 2pm shift.
0 You brought your own lunch to work, but your friend
hasn’t had breakfast yet and forgot to bring money.
0 The manager said crew members are not allowed to
eat the food for free.
0 There is a cheeseburger lying on the counter.
0 Your friend looks like he is about to faint.
0 Should you take the cheeseburger for your friend?
Why or why not?

7. 1. Preconventional Level (0-9 years)
0 Children have little awareness of moral behaviour that
is socially or culturally acceptable.
0 Rules = something they have to follow because others
tell them to. They do not truly believe in the rules.
0 What is right is what you can get away with (what is
personally satisfying).

8. Stage 1: Obedience and
punishment orientation
0 The concern is for self - "Will I
get into trouble for doing (or not
doing) it?“
0 Punishment. Behaviour that is right
or wrong is based on their fear of
consequences.
0 The worse the punishment = the
“more bad” the behaviour.

9. Stage 2: Naively egotistical orientation
0 The concern is "What's in it for
me?"
0 Rewards. The right way to behave is
the way that is rewarded and that
will please others.
0 Still egocentric in outlook but with a
growing ability to see things from
another person's perspective.

10. The Marshmallow Experiment

11. 2. Conventional Level (9-15 years)
0 Considerate of the thoughts and feelings of
others, have internalised many moral values.
Why do you think they would be able to do this now?
0 Motivation to follow rules is less about punishment or
rewards, but rather to gain the approval of others.

12. Stage 3: Good boy/Nice girl orientation
0The concern is "What will people think of me?"
0Social approval. What is right or wrong is determined by
others. The pre-adolescent often obeys rules to please
others and to obtain praise and approval from people
who are important in their lives.
0 Many people do not develop beyond
the conventional level of moral
reasoning, and some people do
not develop beyond stage 3.

13. Stage 4: Law-and-social-order-
maintaining orientation
0 The concern now goes beyond one's immediate group(s)
to the larger society, and to the maintenance of law and
order.
0 Legal approval. What is ‘right’
or ‘wrong’ is determined by
social institutions (e.g. the law,
the school, the church). Conform
to maintain social order without
question.
0 Seek to avoid guilt and shame
which come from criticism by
authoritative figures.

14. 3. Postconventional Level (16+ years)
0 Develop true morality.
0 Decision to do “what is morally right” is guided by
their conscience which may conflict with society’s
laws, i.e. Morally right vs. legally right.

15. Stage 5: Legalistic-social-contract
orientation
0 The concern is for “the greater good” of
society.
0 Right behaviour is one that protects
the rights of the individual according to
rules agreed upon by the whole society.
0 More likely to challenge the law. While
rules are needed to maintain social
order, they should not be blindly
obeyed but should be set up (even
changed) for the greater good of
society.

16. Stage 6: Universal-ethical orientation
0 The concern is for moral
principles.
0 ‘Right’ or ‘wrong’ is not what
the majority of people want to
do. Follow their conscience
even if their views can conflict
with society’s views of what is
right and wrong.

17. Criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory
Page 222

18. Lawrence Kohlberg – Moral Development
Isawa (1992)
• Cross cultural analysis Japan & USA
• Similar stages of moral reasoning
• But cultural differences
• USA participants favoured Heinz stealing
to preserve his wife’s life.
• Japanese participants thought he should
not to preserve a clean & pure life.