Kohlberg Flashcards
What was the aim of Kolberg’s study?
To show how his research supports his stage theory of moral development
How many participants did Kohlberg have?
75
Where was Kohlberg’s sample from?
America
What gender was all of Kohlberg’s sample?
Male
What age were Kohlberg’s participants at the start of the study?
10-16
What age were Kohlberg’s participants at the start of the study?
22-28
What was the method of the study?
Every three years participants were presented with hypothetical moral dilemmas (philosophical)
Their answers and the reasoning behind their answers were linked to 25 basic moral concepts or aspects
What was the background to Kohlberg’s study?
He believed that the stages of moral development in his theory did not change order at all
They came one at a time
No stages were missed
The speed at which a child passed through the stages could vary
Not all people would achieve the highest level of moral development
What are the six reasons Kohlberg identified for reasons to obey?
To avoid punishment
To obtain rewards
To avoid dislike by others
To avoid punishment by authority
To be respected by others
To avoid self-condemnation
What are the three levels of Kohlberg’s theory?
Level 1- pre-conventional
Level 2- conventional
Level 3- post-conventional
What’s the approximate age for the pre-conventional group?
4-10
How many stages are there in Kohlberg’s theory?
6
What is the first stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Stage 1- Orientation towards punishment
Listen to rules to avoid being punished
What is the second stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Stage 2 - Orientation towards self-interest
Behave in a way that best benefits yourself (to obtain rewards/have favours etc)
What is the third stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Conformity to expectations and rules
Child now seeking approval from others and begins to consider the intention of the act
What is the fourth stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Authority and social order orientation
Child now sees right behaviour as a duty to show respect and maintain social order
Laws are set in stone
What is the fifth stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Social contract orientation
Child now does what is right based on law plus personal values and opinions
Sees laws as changable
What is the sixth stage in Kohlberg’s theory?
Universal ethical principles
Child now bases judgment on universal human rights of justice, equality, reciprocity and respect for the individual
What is a child’s thinking in stage 1?
How to avoid punishment?
Unquestioning obedience to superior power
Physical consequences determine whether an act is seen as good or bad
What is a child’s thinking in stage 2?
What is in it for me?
Occasionally what is in it for them?
What will I get in return?
What is a child’s thinking in stage 3?
What does everyone in my world say is right and wrong?
I am a good girl/boy
Why did the person do that?
What is a child’s thinking in stage 4?
I must do what is right and make sure everyone else does,too
I must respect others by doing the right thing
What is a child’s thinking in stage 5?
There is a difference between law and morality
What makes a law right is whether it promotes social utility (greatest happiness of the greatest number)
Laws can be questioned
What is a child’s thinking in stage 6?
All individuals have value, even those who don’t value
We should be wary of ethical positions that potentially involve sacrificing the well-being of an individual for the well-being of the majority
What countries did Kohlberg investigate moral development in?
USA
Malaysia
Taiwan
Mexico
Turkey
Canada
United Kingdom
What is an example of a cultural difference Kohlberg found?
Taiwanese boys regarded theft of food as acceptable if the wife would die and he’d have to pay for the funeral whereas an aboriginal Malaysian boy did not make the decision based on funeral costs (as they didn’t have those) but because if the wife died he’d have no one to cook for him
Both showed fundamental stage 2 “what is in it got me?” Mindsets but in different cultural contexts
What differences did Kohlberg identify?
Cultural
Rate at which children moved between stages
What affected the rate children moved through the stages?
Social classes and setting
