Lawrence Kohlberg: An

Introduction to the Stages of

Moral Development
Objective:

To examine the stages of moral

development as described by
Lawrence Kohlberg and accurately
apply it to specific moral dilemmas.

Lawrence Kohlberg: !ho Is "e#

$or man% %ears& he was a professor at
"arvard 'niversit%( "e became famous for
his wor) there beginning in the earl% *+,-s(
"e started as a developmental ps%chologist
and then moved to the field of moral
education( "e was particularl% well.)nown
for his theor% of moral development which
he populari/ed through research studies
conducted at "arvard0s 1enter for Moral
2ducation(
3
"is theor% of moral development was
dependent on the thin)ing of the Swiss
ps%chologist 4ean 5iaget and the
American philosopher 4ohn Dewe%( "e
was also inspired b% 4ames Mar)
6aldwin( 7hese men had emphasi/ed that
human beings develop philosophicall%
and ps%chologicall% in a progressive
fashion(
Lawrence Kohlberg
8
Kohlberg believed(((and was able to
demonstrate through studies(((that people
progressed in their moral reasoning 9i(e(& in
their bases for ethical behavior: through a
series of stages( "e believed that there
were si; identifiable stages which could be
more generall% classified into three levels(
5
The stages include growth from self-
centeredness to other-centeredness.
Self-centeredness Other-centeredness
<
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
. One must progress through the stages in
order. One cannot get to a higher stage
w!o passing through the stage
immediately preceding it.
"
#oral development is growth$ and li%e all
growth$ ta%es place according to a pre-
determined se&uence.
"
'an(t wal% before you crawl
,
). Sub*ects cannot comprehend moral
reasoning at a stage more than one stage
beyond their own.
"
e.g. +f ,ohnny is orientated to see the good
almost exclusively as that which brings
him satisfaction$ how will he understand a
concept of good in which the -good. may
bring him no tangible pleasure at all.
=
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
/. +ndividuals are cognitively attracted to
reasoning one level above their own
present predominant level.
- The person has &uestions and problems to
the solutions for which are less satisfying at his
present level. Since reasoning at one stage
higher is intelligible$ and since it ma%es sense
and resolves more difficulties$ it is more
attractive.
+
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
0. #ovement through the stages is effected
when cognitive dise&uilibrium is created$
that is$ when a person(s cognitive outloo% is
not ade&uate to cope with a given moral
dilemma.
- The person who is growing$ will loo% for
more ade&uate ways of solving problems. +f he
has no problems or dilemmas$ he is not li%ely to
loo% for solutions. 1e will not grow morally.
*-
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
5. +t is &uite possible for a human being to
physically mature but not morally mature.

- +f a child is spoiled$ never having to
accommodate for others needs$ he may
never generate enough &uestions to propel
him to a higher level of moral reasoning.
**
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
2. Kohlberg believed that only about )53 of
persons ever grow to level six$ the
ma*ority remaining at level four..
-
+f Kohlberg(s observations are true$ then
level 2 thin%ers would be in the minority.
+n fact$ they might even be
misunderstood and persecuted by a level
0 ma*ority.
*
< Ke% 5oints to Keep in Mind
in Stages of Development
Level One: 1ompl%>1ompete
Self.1entered
9Ages , ? **:
4escription
5 person(s moral reasoning results
from conse&uences of actions$ such as
punishment$ reward$ or exchange of
favors$ and from the physical power of
authority figures. The first level of moral
thin%ing is that generally found at the
elementary school level.
*3
*8
Stage *: $ear of 5unishment
6ot law or *ustice$ but cost to me
'onscience 7 self-protection
*@
Stage : 5rofit
#inimi8e the pain9 maximi8e the pleasure
:ight behavior means acting in one;s
own best interests.
:easoning is largely based on an attitude
of -you scratch my bac% and +(ll scratch
yours..
'onscience 7 cunning
Level 7wo: 7he 1onventional Level
Aroup 1entered
9Ages *@ ? @:
4escription<
5 person(s moral reasoning involves
maintaining the expectations of one(s
family$ peer group$ or nation for one(s
own sa%e regardless of the immediate
conse&uences$ and a desire to respect$
maintain$ support$ and *ustify the existing
social order.
*<
Stage 3: Aroup Lo%alt%
Obligation to ones family$ gang$ etc.
One earns acceptance by being -nice..
=ehavior is often *udged by intention " ->ell$
they mean well..
'onscience 7 loyalty
*,
Stage 8: Law and Order
96egins around age *@& increases to age @:
>ithout laws$ society would be chaos
:ight behavior consists of doing one(s
duty and respecting authority.
?laws in the system are due to the
failure of individuals who do not obey the
system.
'onscience 7 good citi8enship
*=
Level 7hree: 5ost 1onventional Level
Internali/ed.7ruth.1entered
4escription<
5 person reasons according to moral
values and principles which are valid and
applicable apart from the authority of the
groups.
#oral reasoning becomes more
comprehensive$ reflects universal
principles$ and is based on internali8ed
norms.
*+
Stage @: 7he 1ommon Aood
9Ages * ? @:
Loyalty to truth
'onscience 7 reason
-
Stage <: 'niversal 2thical 5rinciples.
Integrit%
91an be reached beginning in the late -s:
@rinciples$ no matter what the price
'hoices are grounded in genuine moral
interest in the well-being of others$
regardless of who they are.
'onscience 7 personal integrity
*
Stages of Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg

Level Stage Ages Social Orientation
5re.1onventional )-0 Obedience and @unishment
) 0-A +ndividualism$ +nstrumentalism
1onventional / A-B Cood =oy!Cirl
0 B-) Law and Order
5ost.1onventional 5 Teens Social 'ontract
2 5dult @rincipled 'onscience

Some $inal 7houghts

5. Kohlberg;s scale has to do with moral
thin%ing$ not moral action. 5s everyone
%nows$ people who can tal% at a high moral
level may not behave accordingly.
=. 'onse&uently$ we would not expect perfect
correlations between moral *udgment and
moral action. Still$ Kohlberg thin%s that
there should be some relationship.
3
'. 5s a general hypothesis$ he proposes
that moral behavior is more consistent$
predictable$ and responsible at the higher
stages DKohlberg et al.$ EA5F. >hyG
8
Some $inal 7houghts
Summar%
=ecause the stages themselves
increasingly employ more stable and
general standards$ i.e. principles.
?or example$ whereas stage / bases
decisions on others; feelings$ which can
vary$ stage 0 refers to set rules and laws.
Thus$ we can expect that moral behavior$
too$ will become more consistent as people
move up the se&uence.
@
Let(s @racticeH Situation
5shley borrowed her father(s car. She and
her friend Kayla were very late coming home
that evening. They were further delayed at a
stop light on a &uiet street. 5fter what
seemed to be an unnecessary long wait$
Kayla reminded 5shley that they were late.
5shley continued to wait$ insisting that if
everyone ignored stop lights when it was
personally convenient to do so$ no street
would be safe.
I
5t what stage do you thin% 5shley(s
decision wasG >hyG
)2
,ordan was not prepared for a difficult
chem. Jxam$ so he wrote some important
formulas on a slip of paper which he put in
his poc%et before the test. ,ust before the
test began$ the teacher informed the class
that any student caught cheating would
automatically fail the test. Jven though
,ordan needed the information he wrote$ he
didn(t use it because the teacher stood too
close to his des% during the entire exam.
I
5t what stageG >hyG

)A
Let(s @racticeH Situation )
Jarly in the school year$ 4eShawn who
started at varsity bas%etball$ as%ed 'aitlin
for a date. 'aitlin was not attracted to
4eShawn and politely declined. 5 few
wee%s later 'aitlin tried out for
cheerleading and made it. Several of the
other cheerleaders were dating boys on the
team. >hen 4eShawn as%ed 'aitlin to go
with him to a party that the team was
having after an important game$ she
accepted.
I
5t what stageG >hyG
)K
Let(s @racticeH Situation /
Kyle as%ed his older sister$ Cabby$ if he could
borrow her car so that he and his friend could go to
the beach. Cabby reminded her brother that she
never wanted him to drive her car. She suggested$
however$ that if it was all right with him$ they could all
go together. Soon after they got to the beach$ Kyle(s
friend got ill. Kyle as%ed Cabby if she could drive his
friend home. Cabby refused$ saying that she had *ust
come all that way and she was not going to turn
around and go right bac%. Kyle tried unsuccessfully to
find a way to get his friend home. ?inally$ while Cabby
was swimming$ he wrote her a note telling her he
would be bac% soon as possible$ too% her car %eys$
and drove his friend bac% home.
I
>hat stageG >hyG
)E
Let(s @racticeH Situation 0
5s ,ason(s father was leaving for wor% in
the morning$ he as%ed ,ason to clean out
the garage sometime during the day. ,ason
responded$ saying he already had plans to
play tennis that day. 5round noon$ ,ason
and two friends made plans that re&uired
,ason to borrow his father(s car that
evening. ,ason decided to s%ip playing
tennis and clean the garage.
I
>hat stageG >hyG
/B
Let(s @racticeH Situation 5
/