2.6.2 Kohlberg Evaluation

Question 1

(ecological validity) why did Kohlberg’s research lack ecological validity?

Answer 1

hypothetical moral dilemmas e.g. cancer drug scenario

Question 2

(ecological validity) Gilligan - Kohlberg’s research wasn’t based on real life what?

Answer 2

decisions

Question 3

(ecological validity) Gilligan - the hypothetical scenarios would make little sense to who?

Answer 3

the younger children

Question 4

(ecological validity) Gilligan’s own research was based on what?

Answer 4

people’s own moral dilemmas e.g. abortion

Question 5

(ecological validity) what does it mean to lack ecological validity?

Answer 5

not reflective of real life

Question 6

(population validity) what does population validity refer to?

Answer 6

whether the participants in the sample are representative of the whole population

Question 7

(population validity) why was Kohlberg’s research androcentric, containing a beta gender bias?

Answer 7

all male sample

stages of development then generalised to women - says there is no difference

Question 8

(population validity) Gilligan said men and women show different what?

Answer 8

morality

Question 9

(population validity) Gilligan said men have a morality of what?

Answer 9

justice

Question 10

(population validity) Gilligan said women have a morality of what?

Answer 10

care

Question 11

(population validity) Gilligan - Kohlberg’s dilemmas were focused on justice which could make women be perceived as what?

Answer 11

morally inferior if using Kohlberg’s stages

Question 12

(population validity) But Gilligan’s findings are not reliable, why?

Answer 12

both men and women use both types of reasoning

Question 13

(population validity) Walter found women were not what?

Answer 13

rated differently using Kohlberg’s stages

Question 14

(culture bias) the research was good as it was what?

Answer 14

cross cultural

Question 15

(culture bias) why could Kohlberg’s moral dilemmas be viewed as eurocentric? and why is this an issue?

Answer 15

developed in west

they may be interpreted differently in non western cultures and therefore are not applicable

Question 16

(culture bias) using these tools on non western cultures could lead to them what?

Answer 16

being perceived as morally inferior - lower level of moral reasoning

Question 17

(culture bias) Kohlberg’s research was also mainly based on participants from which type of cultures? who might this disadvantage?

Answer 17

individualist cultures

may disadvantage collectivist

Question 18

(culture bias) research evidence from India has shown what?

Answer 18

different interpretations of the scenario led to the conclusion of lower levels of moral reasoning

Question 19

(social desirability) what is social desirability?

Answer 19

giving what is seen as the correct answer to make yourself look better

Question 20

(social desirability) in the dilemma discussions why may people display social desirability?

Answer 20

to seem more moral e.g. saying they would steal the drug even though they wouldn’t

Question 21

(social desirability) if participants show social desirability what is the researcher measuring?

Answer 21

lies not truthful responses

lack of internal validity

Question 22

(predictive validity) the theory would predict what type of correlation between level of moral development and likelihood of cheating?

Answer 22

negative

the more moral - less likely to cheat

Question 23

(predictive validity) research shows what percentage of those with level 5-6 reasoning cheat on a test?

Answer 23

15%

Question 24

(predictive validity) research shows what percentage of those with level 1-2 reasoning cheat on a test?

Answer 24

75%

Question 25

(predictive validity) however why is predictive validity not that simplistic?

Answer 25

it depends on the behaviour e.g. they might not cheat but they could steal

Question 26

(ethics) why was consent an issue with Kohlberg’s research?

Answer 26

some of the participants were under 16 and were unable to give full informed consent

Question 27

(ethics) why was psychological harm an issue with Kohlberg’s research?

Answer 27

saying people were less moral than others

Question 28

(application) what did Kohlberg suggest a practical application of his research would be?

Answer 28

moral development classes in schools to help children reach higher levels of moral development