Kohlberg Flashcards
This is the premoral level, in which there is limited cognitive thinking and the individual’s thinking is primarily egocentric. At this stage thinking is mostly based on likes and pleasures. This stage progresses toward having punishment guide behavior. The person’s moral reason for acting, the “why,” eventually relates to the consequences that the person believes will occur. These consequences come in the form of punishment or reward. It is at this level that children view illness as a punishment for fighting with their siblings or disobeying their parents. Nurses need to be aware of this egocentric thinking and reinforce that the child does not become ill because of wrongdoing.
Preconventional Reasoning.
In this first stage a child’s response to a moral dilemma is in terms of absolute obedience to authority and rules. A child in this stage reasons, “I must follow the rules; otherwise I will be punished.”
Punishment and Obedience Orientation.
In this stage the child recognizes that there is more than one right view; a teacher has one view that is different from that of the child’s parent. The decision to do something morally right is based on satisfying one’s own needs and occasionally the needs of others. The child perceives punishment not as proof of being wrong (as in stage 1) but as something that one wants to avoid. Children at this stage follow their parent’s rule about being home in time for supper because they do not want to be confined to their room for the rest of the evening if they are late.
Instrumental Relativist Orientation.
the person sees moral reasoning based on his or her own personal internalization of societal and others’ expectations. A person wants to fulfill the expectations of the family, group, or nation and also develop a loyalty to and actively maintain, support, and justify the order. Moral decision making at this level moves from, “What’s in it for me?” to “How will it affect my relationships with others?” Emphasis now is on social rules and a community centered approach
Conventional Reasoning
The individual wants to win approval and maintain the expectations of one’s immediate group. “Being good” is important and defined as having good motives, showing concern for others, and keeping mutual relationships through trust, loyalty, respect, and gratitude. One earns approval by “being nice.” For example, a person in this stage stays after school and does odd jobs to win the teacher’s approval.
Good Boy–Nice Girl Orientation.
Individuals expand their focus from a relationship with others to societal concerns during stage 4. Moral decisions consider societal perspectives. Right behavior is doing one’s duty, showing respect for authority, and maintaining the social order. Adolescents choose not to attend a party where they know beer will be served, not because they are afraid of getting caught, but because they know that it is not right.
Society-Maintaining Orientation.
The person finds a balance between basic human rights and obligations and societal rules and regulations in the level of postconventional reasoning. Individuals move away from moral decisions based on authority or conformity to groups to define their own moral values and principles. Individuals at this stage start to look at what an ideal society would be like. Moral principles and ideals come into prominence at this level
Postconventional Reasoning.
an individual follows the societal law but recognizes the possibility of changing the law to improve society. The individual also recognizes that different social groups have different values but believes that all rational people would agree on basic rights such as liberty and life. Individuals at this stage make more of an independent effort to determine what society should value rather than what the society as a group would value, as would occur in stage 4. The United States Constitution is based on this morality.
Social Contract Orientation
defines “right” by the decision of conscience in accord with self-chosen ethical principles. These principles are abstract, like the Golden Rule, and appeal to logical comprehensiveness, universality, and consistency (Kohlberg, 1981). For example, the principle of justice requires the individual to treat everyone in an impartial manner, respecting the basic dignity of all people, and guides the individual to base decisions on an equal respect for all. Civil disobedience is one way to distinguish Stage 5 from Stage 6. Stage 5 emphasizes the basic rights, the democratic process, and following laws without question, whereas stage 6 defines the principles by which agreements will be most just. For example, a person in stage 5 follows a law, even if it is not fair to a certain racial group. An individual in stage 6 may not follow a law if it does not seem just to the racial group. For example, Martin Luther King believed that although we need laws and democratic processes, people who are committed to justice have an obligation to disobey unjust laws and accept the penalties for disobeying these laws
Universal Ethical Principle Orientation.
