Developmental: Kohlberg

Question 1

background

Answer 1

> at birth we are all immoral
theories- freud- id, ego, superego
inspired by work of Piaget and aimed to adopt structural approach to development of morals

Question 2

Aim

Answer 2

document how as long as people develop, they move through distinct levels and ages of moral development

Question 3

method

Answer 3

longitudinal, cross-cultural, use of moral dilemmas

Question 4

sample

Answer 4

75 American boys ages 110-16 at 3 year intervals for 12 years
cross cultural- GB, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey

Question 5

procedure- American

Answer 5

> pps presented with oral dilemmas
adapted to suit age of pp
questions to follow each dilemma
stories aimed to determine stage of moral reasoning for each 25 concepts
value of human life, motive given for rule of obedience or moral action

Question 6

procedure- cross cultural

Answer 6

Taiwanese boys (10-13) asked a story about theft of food
children in other countries were tested in a similar way

Question 7

Findings- motive given for rule of obedience or moral action

Answer 7

1- obey rules to avoid punishment
2- conform to obtain rewards, have favours returned
3- conform to avid disapproval, dislike by others
4- conform to avoid censure by legitimate authorities and resultant guilt
5- conform to maintain the respect of the impartial spectator judging in terms of community welfare
6- conform to avoid self-condemnation

Question 8

findings- value of human life

Answer 8

1- value confused with value of physical objects and based on social status or physical attributes on possessor
2- value seen as instrumental to satisfaction of the needs of its possessor or other people
3- value of human life based o empathy and affection of family members and others towards possessor
4- life conceived as sacred in terns of its place in a categorical moral or religious oder of rights and duties
5- life valued in relation to community welfare and being a universal human right
6- belief in sacredness of human life as representing a universal human value of respect for the individual

Question 9

findings

Answer 9

> not all reach stage 6
always develop in the same order through stages
when they reach a new stage, pp either continue to develop or stop
a child at an earlier stage may progress further along if presented with views of child from higher stage

Question 10

findings- cross-cultural

Answer 10

> Mexico and Taiwan show same results with slower development
middle-class children found to be more developed than working class counterparts
no sig diff between religions
stage 5 more common in US than Mexico/Taiwan

Question 11

Conclusions

Answer 11

> there is an invariant developmental sequence in moral development
individuals may stop at any stage of development at any point
woking class and middle class children progress through the same stages, but middle class do this quicker