Chapter 5: Moral Development

Question 1

What are 3 levels of kohlberg’s morality theory?

Answer 1

1. Pre-conventional (around 9 years of age) –> based on strict rules of law, and own external rewards and punishment (i.e you will get in trouble by the cops)
2. conventional –> based on society and society’s reactions towards moral issues
3. Post-conventional —> based on personal moral code (i.e. how your conscious would react if you did something or not)

Question 2

What are stages 1 & 2 in the pre-conventional theory

Answer 2

Stage 1. heteronomous morality –> fearing punishment

Stage 2: individuals, instrumental purpose and exchange (guided by your own interests)

Question 3

What are stages 3 & 4 in the conventional level?

Answer 3

Stage 3: mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships and interpersonal conformity (stage where most adolescence are, largely based on the trust, loyalty and caring that others view in you) [i.e. looking at whats right according to friends and family]
Stage 4: social systems morality –> looking at whats right according to society as a whole (62% of 36 year olds are in this stage)

Question 4

What are stages 5 & 6 in the post conventional theory?

Answer 4

stage 5. social contract or utility and individual rights –> going against law in favour of respecting other people’s rights and freedoms
stage 6: looks at the universal ethical principles like human freedom lack of people in this stage actually considered removed

Question 5

What are 2 progressional observations made in kohl berg’s theory?

Answer 5

1. morality becomes internalized (people start off by being governed by external rewards and punishment and then it slowly moves towards internal rewards and punishment)
2. Multiple perspectives can be coordinated as level goes higher, so it goes from thinking about yourself, to society then to human race

Question 6

What are 4 criticisms of kohl berg’s theory?

Answer 6

1. gender bias
2. too much info on moral thought but not enough on behaviour
3. can differ across cultures (progression is quicker in developed countries)
4. gender bias