Kohlberg 1963- The child as a morla philosopher

Question 1

Who is Kohlberg?

Answer 1

A developmental psychologist (for uses on how we get older)
Also a cognitive- his view is that moral behaviour is governed by the way we think about moral situations

Question 2

Who was Kohlber influenced by?

Answer 2

Piaget
unsatisfied with behaviourist and psychodynamic theorist if morality

Question 3

Aims of Kohlbergs study?

Answer 3

Aimed to investigate the development of moral reasoning in children in order to crate a series’s of stages that could apply to all

Question 4

Methodology what study was this and how many years?

Answer 4

A longitudinal study and lasted 12 years

Question 5

Methodology- how many people participated and when were they interviews?

Answer 5

75 young males ages 10-16
interviews every 3 years
Ended when they were 22-28

Question 6

Methodology- how did Kohlberg compare makes?

Answer 6

Compared males from the USA to Canada, Uk, Mexico, Turkey and Taiwan

Question 7

Procedure of kohlbergs study?

Answer 7

present child with 9 hypothetical moral dilemmas, asked to decide on the correct course of action and what the moral thing is to do
Dilemmas involved a conflict between two normal issues, children then given chance to discuss issues, and then were asked a series of open ended questions- this was semi structured interview
-Their responses analysed and general themes identifies. Themes used as a basis for the stages of moral development, Children were assessed with a similar interview every 3 years and changed in their moral reasonings were recorded
-Compared findings with those from other cultures to see if there existed cultural differences in moral development

Question 8

Findings of Kohlberg?

Answer 8

-Participate ants answered were analysed and common themes were identified
-K was able to identify differences in the moral reasoning shown by his participants and used this to develop stage model of moral development
-Found that moral development can be broadly split into there stages Preconvential, conventional, post conventional and each stage is given 2 sub stages

Question 9

Findings- The 3 moral development stages?

Answer 9

Preconventional level
Conventional
Post conventional level

Question 10

What is the Preconventional stage
substage 1 and 2?

Answer 10

Pre-C mortality is based on actions and direct consequences, children at this stage only a see morality on how actions will affect them, don’t understand society’s conventions regarding right and wrong
Stage 1- Obedience and punishment orientation
Stage 2- The instrumental purpose orientation

Question 11

What is the Preconventional stage
substage 1- obedience and punishment orientation? and example

Answer 11

This style of morality ignores the intention behind a behaviour and focus on obeying rules that are enforced by punishment
e.g: Heinz should not steal asbestos and illegal and will be punished

Question 12

What is the Preconventional stage
substage 2- The instrumental purpose orientation, example?

Answer 12

Children’s view actions as ‘rights’ if they satisfy their own needs
e.g. Heinz should not steal as it’s illegal and he will be punished

Question 13

What is the conventional stage
substage 3 and 4?

Answer 13

I’m this stage and individual will assess morality by comparing it with society’s views and expectations
An individual accepts and obama society’s normal and roles, often, without question, even if the rule may seem u fair or inappropriate
Stage 3- Interpersonal cooperation
Stage 4- The social order maintaining orientation

Question 14

What is the conventional stage
substage 3 - Interpersonal cooperation, example?

Answer 14

This is ‘good boy good girl’ orientation what is right is defined by what’s expected by others
e.g. Heinz should steal, as this would show he can uphold his role in society as a good husband

Question 15

What is the conventional stage
substage 4 - The social order maintaing orientation , example?

Answer 15

This marks the shift from defining what is right in terms of role expectation define what’s right in terms or norms established by the larger social system
e.g. Heinz should not steal as he needs to abide by rules to maintain order in society

Question 16

What is postconventional and substage 5 and 6?

Answer 16

This is a growing realisation that individuals are separate entities from society. Society views may come into conflict with indivisible views and in some cases the individual may take precedence over society conventions can be seen as acceptable
Morality is judged now by abstract concepts such as liberty, justice and basic human rights
Rules are seen as useful but not to be adhered to to absolutely and may bf changes
Morality is based on a individual moral evaluation rather than society’s rules
It’s argued that many people never reach thsi stage of development and that many adults stay in stage 4
Stage 5- The social contract orientation
Stage 6- The universal ethical principles orientation

Question 17

What is the Post-conventional stage
substage 5 -The social contract orientation example?

Answer 17

Laws are seen as relative and flexible where they are consistently with individuals rights and interests of the majority and they are upheld to present social order otherwise they can be changed
e.g. Heinz should steal as he’s helping human life

Question 18

What is the Postconventional stage
substage 5 - The social contact orientation?

Answer 18

Laws are seen as relative and flexible were they are consistently with individual rights and interest if the majority they are upheld to preserve social order otherwise they can be changed
e.g. heinz should steak as he is helping human life

Question 19

What is the conventional stage
substage 6 -The universal ethical principle orientation?

Answer 19

Morality is defined in terms of self chosen abstract moral principles laws usually conform to these principles but where this is the case
Individuals act in accordance with their moral principles
e.g. Heinz should consider negotiation or non violent options
Reflects the conflict between human life and laws and righst

Question 20

Cross cultures findings?

Answer 20

-Stages universal
-Diferences in how quickly children progress through the stages
-Age 16- most USA sample where in stage 4 and 5 where as Tiwan and Mexico, most children in stage 3 and 4
-MC children progress faster then LC
-Religion had no effect

Question 21

Conclusion of Kohlberg?

Answer 21

Children at a particular stage of development tend to move forward in their moral reasoning when confronted by the views of a child one stage along, in an argument between stage 3 and a stage 4 child, the child in the third stage tends to move towards or into stage 4, while the stage 4 child understand buy does not accept the arguments of the stage 3 child. Moral discussions could therefore be used to help children develop their moral reasoning
-Stages are invariant and universal
-Some invidious may not reach the final stage

Question 22

Evaluation- ecological (external) validity SEEW paragraph?

Answer 22

S- One criticism of the reaserch is that it’s not based on real life decision
E- this is because he used examples that can be unrealistic, children can’t relate to senario so won’t answer appropriately or truthfully
E-Gillian’s 1982 own reaserch involved interviewing oeiple about their own moral dilemmas such as if they should get an abortion, this is more valid as people who ill relate to this and they will answer more accurately
W- Therefore this shows a weekness of his study as senario is don’t match real life

Question 23

Evaluation- Internal validity?

Answer 23

S- another limitation of K reaserch is that he used a self report method
E- meaning ps had the ability to lie and gain social desirability and may describe it idealistic feather then what do
E-K was asking people about what they think rather then what they do, found when given an opportunity to cheat on a test 15% or collage students in pre conventional cheered and 70% of post conventional cheated
C- can be valid as each ps get asked same question
W- Therefore this is a weoness

Question 24

Evaluation- Sample Seew paragraph?

Answer 24

S- One limitation of the reaserch is that samples where all male
E- meaning it’s androcentic, jsut because makes think thsi doesn’t mean it can be applied to women the same way
E- Gillian sugestef male and female morality can be differnt, women tend to focus on relationships with rather than justice creating a gender bias
W- Therefore thsi provides a werknees

Question 25

Evaluation- Longitudinal reaserch SEEW paragraph?

Answer 25

S- One strength of the reaserch is that longitudinal methods
E- Meaning they will be studied for a long time meaning more indebted reaserch
E- studied boys from age 10-16 to 22-28
C- However ps may suffer sample atrilliation and may give upon the study making it less valid
W- Thwtefire this is a strength

Question 26

Evaluation- Ethics SEEW paragraph?

Answer 26

S- Another limitation is that ethical issue that may arise
E- is ethical to put a child in a senario they may feel stress: there are no provision to protect them from harm
E- For example q’/ where asked about if they should steal drugs and thsi can arrive panic in children so it’s ethical
W- therefore this is a weekness