Moral Development
Kohlberg’s Moral Development
Psych/500
October 14, 2012
Is it morally acceptable to steal food from the wealthy to feed the poor? This was the type of question Lawrence Kohlberg, an American-born Harvard Professor, would ask of his research subjects. Dr. Kohlberg was fascinated by the cognitive development work proposed by Swiss theorist Jean Piaget (Long, n.d.). “Kohlberg’s work aids both our understanding of the ways in which individuals make moral decisions, and demands that we use a more discerning system to critique the systems of justice that are in place in our societies” states Long. One of Kohlberg’s best-known dilemmas is the Heinz Dilemma (Berk, 2010). Mr. Heinz cared for his cancer-ridden wife by providing her with the proper medication needed. He discovered the one medicine that would greatly benefit his wife was outside of his financial capability. The druggist responsible for creating the medicine was not interested in helping Mr. Heinz obtain the medicine and was knowingly charging ten times the amount required to produce the medicine. After Mr. Heinz had borrowed all the money he could and exhausted all of his resources he broke into the pharmacy and stole the medicine needed to save the life of his wife (Berk, 2010). Long states, “Using the Dilemma of Heniz, Kohlberg completes his doctoral dissertation research on the moral development of children, and proposes his six stages”. The following are basic examples of Kohlberg’s six stages (Long, n.d.):
Level 1 – Pre-conventional Morality (ages 4-10)
Stage 1: I do not say bad words because if I do, mommy will get mad at me.
Stage 2: For a cookie, I will pick up my toys.
Level 2 - Conventional Morality (ages 10-13)
Stage 3: I do not eat in class because my teacher does not like it.
Stage 4: I do not talk during a fire drill because that is one of the rules.
Level 3 – Post-conventional (adolescence to adulthood)
Stage 5: I pay taxes because it is the law.
Stage 6: I pay
Psych/500
October 14, 2012
Is it morally acceptable to steal food from the wealthy to feed the poor? This was the type of question Lawrence Kohlberg, an American-born Harvard Professor, would ask of his research subjects. Dr. Kohlberg was fascinated by the cognitive development work proposed by Swiss theorist Jean Piaget (Long, n.d.). “Kohlberg’s work aids both our understanding of the ways in which individuals make moral decisions, and demands that we use a more discerning system to critique the systems of justice that are in place in our societies” states Long. One of Kohlberg’s best-known dilemmas is the Heinz Dilemma (Berk, 2010). Mr. Heinz cared for his cancer-ridden wife by providing her with the proper medication needed. He discovered the one medicine that would greatly benefit his wife was outside of his financial capability. The druggist responsible for creating the medicine was not interested in helping Mr. Heinz obtain the medicine and was knowingly charging ten times the amount required to produce the medicine. After Mr. Heinz had borrowed all the money he could and exhausted all of his resources he broke into the pharmacy and stole the medicine needed to save the life of his wife (Berk, 2010). Long states, “Using the Dilemma of Heniz, Kohlberg completes his doctoral dissertation research on the moral development of children, and proposes his six stages”. The following are basic examples of Kohlberg’s six stages (Long, n.d.):
Level 1 – Pre-conventional Morality (ages 4-10)
Stage 1: I do not say bad words because if I do, mommy will get mad at me.
Stage 2: For a cookie, I will pick up my toys.
Level 2 - Conventional Morality (ages 10-13)
Stage 3: I do not eat in class because my teacher does not like it.
Stage 4: I do not talk during a fire drill because that is one of the rules.
Level 3 – Post-conventional (adolescence to adulthood)
Stage 5: I pay taxes because it is the law.
Stage 6: I pay
References: Berk, L. E. (2010). Development Through the Lifespan (5th ed.). Retrieved from University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Cherry, Kendra. (2012). Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development. Stages of Moral Development DeHart, G.B., Sroufe, L.A., & Cooper, R.G. (2004). Child development: Its nature and course (5th ed.) Kretchmar, J. (2008). Moral Development. Moral Development-Reseach Starters Education, (1), 12. Santrock, J. W. (2008). Lifespan Development (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.