Kohlberg Flashcards
Moral Development
The development of how individuals learn to make moral judgments that emphasize values, facts, persons, and actions
Hard Stage Model
Cannot move backward or between stages, stages build off of one another
Justice perspective
Kohlberg argued that decisions are based off of justice and understanding rights and rules
Preconventional Level
Individually focused and egocentric
Stage 1: Heteronomous Morality
Obey rules so I am okay, little to no concern for others
Stage 2: Individualistic, Instrumental Morality
Follow the rules if it benefits me; what is right is what is fair; actions based on avoiding negative consequences
Conventional Level
Member of Society perspective
Stage 3: Interpersonally Normative Morality
Concern for what others think of you; want to be seen in good light by authority figures; more concern given to group and how the individual fits into society’s expectations
Stage 4: Social System Morality
Upholding laws established by society; rules and laws apply equally to everyone; fulfill societal obligations
Stage 5: Human Rights and Social Welfare Morality
social system is understood as social contract to protect individual rights; laws evaluated based on how well they protect individual rights
Postconventional Level
Prior to Society perspective - developing personal perspectives
Stage 6: Morality of Universalizable, Reversible, and Prescriptive General Ethical Principles
Decisions based on universal principles that apply in all situations such as equality of human rights; equal consideration of all points of view in a situation
3 Criteria for Kohlberg
Structure
Sequence
Hierarchy
Structure Criterion
At a given stage, individuals exhibit a similar reasoning pattern regardless of the content or situation
Sequence Criterion
Stages appear in a specific order, regardless of setting or experience
