Kohlberg (1968) Flashcards
Background - Kohlberg’s theory of moral development?
pre-conventional (level 1):
stage 1 - punishment + obedience orientation
stage 2 - instrumental-relativist orientation
conventional (level 2):
stage 3 - good boy-good girl orientation
stage 4 - law and order orientation
post-conventional (level 3):
stage 5 - social contract orientation
stage 6 - universal principles orientation
Kohlberg research method?
longitudinal - 12 years
cross-cultural
Kohlberg aim?
use his theory of moral development to show how adolescents develop morally
Kohlberg sample?
75 American boys
aged 10 - 16 at start of study
cross-cultural - boys from Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico
+ Turkey
Kohlberg procedure?
America
hypothetical moral dilemmas in short stories
25 moral concepts/aspects assessed
e.g. motive given for rule obedience or moral action
e.g. value of human life - assessed by asking:
age 10 - is it better to save the life of one important person or a lot of unimportant people?
aged 13, 16, 20 + 24 - should the doctor mercy kill a fatally ill woman requesting death because of her pain?
cross-cultural
all from cross-cultural part of study tested in similar way
Taiwanese boys (10-13) - A man’s wife is starving to death but the store owner won’t give the man any food unless he can pay, which he can’t. Should he break in and steal some food? Why?
Kohlberg key findings in terms of motive given for rule obedience or moral action?
Kohlberg’s 6 stages of moral development:
1) follow rules - avoid punishment
2) right behaviour - rewards
3) good behaviour - please others
4) duty + obey law
5) conform to what is democratically agreed upon
6) moral action based on self-chosen principles
Kohlberg key findings in terms of the value of human life?
Kohlberg’s 6 stages of moral development:
1) value based on physical attributes + social status
2) value based on needs of person and others
3) value based on empathy + affection of family + others
4) sacred in terms of place in order of rights and duties
5) value based on community welfare + human right
6) human life sacred - based on respect for individual
Kohlberg overall key findings - America?
progressed through stages one at time + in same order
not all reached stage 6
child at earlier stage tends to move forward when confronted with views of child at stage further ahead
Kohlberg key cross-cultural findings?
Taiwanese 10-13 classic stage 2 responses
age 16 - stage 5 thinking = more common in US than in Taiwan or Mexico
no sig diffs found in moral development in those of diff religions or no religion
Kohlberg possible conclusions?
sequence of moral development does not change
moral development fits with Kohlberg’s theory
middle class children move faster and further through stages than working class children
6 stages of moral development not affected by social, cultural or religious conditions, however rate of progression is affected
