STAGESSTAGESOF OF

MORAL MORAL DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

                                                                   

The American psychologist The American psychologist Lawrence KohlbergLawrence Kohlberg grouped grouped together children while they were together children while they were still small and did a study on the still small and did a study on the moral development of these moral development of these people in a span of about twenty people in a span of about twenty years. He was interested in the years. He was interested in the justification or reasoning behind justification or reasoning behind the right behavior of the group the right behavior of the group and was able to mark out of six and was able to mark out of six stages of development.stages of development.

The American psychologist The American psychologist Lawrence KohlbergLawrence Kohlberg grouped grouped together children while they were together children while they were still small and did a study on the still small and did a study on the moral development of these moral development of these people in a span of about twenty people in a span of about twenty years. He was interested in the years. He was interested in the justification or reasoning behind justification or reasoning behind the right behavior of the group the right behavior of the group and was able to mark out of six and was able to mark out of six stages of development.stages of development.

Pre-conventional LevelPre-conventional LevelConcerned with concrete consequences to Concerned with concrete consequences to individuals, focusing on pursuing concrete individuals, focusing on pursuing concrete

interest, while avoiding sanctions.interest, while avoiding sanctions.

                                                                  

Stage oneStage one Punishment-Obedient OrientationPunishment-Obedient Orientation

What is right is to obey the rules, avoid What is right is to obey the rules, avoid physical damage to persons and property. physical damage to persons and property. The reason is that one wants to avoid The reason is that one wants to avoid punishment. Also, there is the deference to punishment. Also, there is the deference to power and position. In relation to socialpower and position. In relation to social

perspective, what is considered perspective, what is considered is simply one’s own interest as is simply one’s own interest as there is still no sense of there is still no sense of another’s point of view.another’s point of view.

Stage twoStage two

Instrumental-Purposive OrientationInstrumental-Purposive OrientationWhat is right is one’s own immediate What is right is one’s own immediate interest, and letting others act also in their interest, and letting others act also in their own interest. Thus, each to his own. What own interest. Thus, each to his own. What is right is what is fair. You do your thing, I is right is what is fair. You do your thing, I do my thing; we have fair, equal do my thing; we have fair, equal exchange. exchange.

Stage twoStage two

Instrumental-Purposive OrientationInstrumental-Purposive OrientationThe reason for this is instrumental, to satisfy The reason for this is instrumental, to satisfy one’s need and admit the needs of others in one’s need and admit the needs of others in their own self interest. While the other is after their own self interest. While the other is after his/her own interest, I too have my own interest. his/her own interest, I too have my own interest. And if I do what is wrong, I might not obtain my And if I do what is wrong, I might not obtain my own interest. Human relations are seen as a own interest. Human relations are seen as a market place, a place of exchange. market place, a place of exchange. Fairness, reciprocity, equal Fairness, reciprocity, equal sharing are all interpreted in sharing are all interpreted in a physical, pragmatic way.a physical, pragmatic way.

Conventional LevelConventional LevelConcerned with fulfilling Concerned with fulfilling

role expectations, role expectations, maintaining and maintaining and

supporting the social supporting the social order, and identifying order, and identifying

persons or groups persons or groups involved in this orderinvolved in this order..

Stage threeStage three

Interpersonal Concordance OrientationInterpersonal Concordance Orientation

What is deemed right is what pleases or helps What is deemed right is what pleases or helps others, what is approved by others, what others, what is approved by others, what reinforces mutual relationships such as trust, reinforces mutual relationships such as trust, loyalty, respect, gratitude. loyalty, respect, gratitude.

Stage threeStage three

Interpersonal Concordance OrientationInterpersonal Concordance OrientationThe reason for helping others, for pleasing The reason for helping others, for pleasing others, for doing what is conventional or what others, for doing what is conventional or what is mutually good for everyone is the need to be is mutually good for everyone is the need to be seen by the self and others as a loyal, caring seen by the self and others as a loyal, caring person (important here is my image to others), person (important here is my image to others), the desire to maintain rules and the desire to maintain rules and authority that support your typical authority that support your typical good behavior and living up to good behavior and living up to what significant others expect.what significant others expect.

Stage threeStage three

Interpersonal Concordance OrientationInterpersonal Concordance Orientation

In relation to the social perspective, one In relation to the social perspective, one takes the third person perspective where takes the third person perspective where one knows how the group will react, is one knows how the group will react, is aware of shared feelings, agreements, aware of shared feelings, agreements, groups expectations that take groups expectations that take primacy over individual interest.primacy over individual interest.

Stage Stage fourfour

Social Structure OrientationSocial Structure Orientation

What is right is doing one’s duty; showing What is right is doing one’s duty; showing respects for laws, authority and society and respects for laws, authority and society and contributing to the maintenance of society and contributing to the maintenance of society and institutions. One’s reason for doing one’s duty institutions. One’s reason for doing one’s duty and the like is that, action which breaks the and the like is that, action which breaks the social or moral agreements impairs the system social or moral agreements impairs the system which is a value. It would be hazardous to which is a value. It would be hazardous to digress from conformity, from social norms.digress from conformity, from social norms.

Stage Stage fourfour

Social Structure Orientation Social Structure Orientation One reason for this is that conscience is One reason for this is that conscience is imperative to the moral law, to the ethical imperative to the moral law, to the ethical system. Another reason is the maintenance of system. Another reason is the maintenance of the system for system for its own sake. The the system for system for its own sake. The social perspective takes the perspective of a social perspective takes the perspective of a generalized other and not just the personal generalized other and not just the personal other. The generalized other is the institution, other. The generalized other is the institution, the society or the church. One sees a given the society or the church. One sees a given social issue from the perspective of a fixed social issue from the perspective of a fixed system of laws and beliefs.system of laws and beliefs.

Post – Conventional LevelPost – Conventional LevelIn this level, there is the effort In this level, there is the effort to define the moral values and to define the moral values and principles that have validity principles that have validity and application apart from the and application apart from the authority of groups or persons authority of groups or persons and the ability to see beyond and the ability to see beyond laws and norms of society. It is laws and norms of society. It is here that one examines, here that one examines, adopts and applies the adopts and applies the different ethical frameworks or different ethical frameworks or principles.principles.

Stage Stage fivefive

Social Contract OrientationSocial Contract Orientation

This stage includes what is right; individual This stage includes what is right; individual rights and standards which have been rights and standards which have been critically examined, and agreed upon. One critically examined, and agreed upon. One says says “these rights have been examined, “these rights have been examined, and since they are right, they are the ones and since they are right, they are the ones to be followed.”to be followed.”

Stage Stage fivefive

Social Contract OrientationSocial Contract Orientation

Here, one is concerned that obligations be Here, one is concerned that obligations be based on calculations of overall utility, based on calculations of overall utility, what is really good for all. To a certain what is really good for all. To a certain extent, there is universality in this good but extent, there is universality in this good but still within basic human society, basic still within basic human society, basic human agreements. human agreements.

Stage Stage fivefive

Social Contract OrientationSocial Contract Orientation

The social perspective here views the The social perspective here views the rights of each as best protected when rights of each as best protected when stability governs relations, when one stability governs relations, when one recognizes that moral and legal recognizes that moral and legal perspective sometimes differ and thus one perspective sometimes differ and thus one may question the legal, because it may may question the legal, because it may not be moral.not be moral.

Stage sixStage six

Universal Ethical PrinciplesUniversal Ethical Principles ***Kohlberg was not able to ***Kohlberg was not able to observe this stage in his group, observe this stage in his group, and thus he projected it. and thus he projected it. What is right is following self What is right is following self chosen ethical principles based chosen ethical principles based on judgments that are on judgments that are universalizable, irreversible, and universalizable, irreversible, and consistent.consistent.

What is right are the What is right are the universal principles of justice, universal principles of justice, and the reasons given are and the reasons given are the validity of universal moral the validity of universal moral principles and the sense of principles and the sense of personal commitment to personal commitment to these principles. these principles.

Stage sixStage six

Universal Ethical PrinciplesUniversal Ethical Principles

The social perspective taken The social perspective taken is the moral point of view is the moral point of view from which even the social from which even the social arrangements are derived; arrangements are derived; from this universalizable from this universalizable moral point of view, moral moral point of view, moral judgments are made.judgments are made.

Stage sixStage six

Universal Ethical PrinciplesUniversal Ethical Principles