Kohlberg - child as a moral philosopher

Question 1

Heinz moral dilemma

Answer 1

In Europe a woman was near death from cancer.
There was one drug the doctors thought might save her. A druggist in the same town had discovered it but he was charging ten times what it cost him to make. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow money but he could only get half of what it cost.
The druggist refused to let Heinz pay later or sell it cheaper.
So, Heinz got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.

Question 2

Methodology

Answer 2

Kohlberg undertook various studies related to moral development, using interviews to collect qualitative data.
The study included cross-cultural comparisons and a longitudinal element.

Question 3

Participants

Answer 3

Kohlberg and colleagues studied a group of 75 American boys from the age of 10-16 and again between 22 and 28.
He also studied people in Great Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico and Turkey.

Question 4

Procedure

Answer 4

To assess moral thinking Kohlberg created nine hypothetical moral dilemmas.
Each dilemma presented a conflict between two moral issues.
Each participant was asked to discuss three of these dilemmas, prompted by a set of ten or more open-ended questions.
The boys’ answers were analysed and common themes were identified so that the stage theory could be constructed.
Each boy was re-interviewed every three years.
The same kind of interview was used with children and adults in other countries.

Question 5

Procedure - examples of open-ended questions used

Answer 5

Should Heinz steal the drug? Why or why not?
If the respondent favours not stealing, ask:
If Heinz doesn’t love his wife, should he steal the drug for her? Why or why not?
If the respondent favours stealing, ask:
“Does it make a difference whether or not he loves his wife? Why or why not?

Question 6

The preconventional level

Answer 6

Children accept the rules of authority figures and judge actions by their consequences.
Actions that result in punishments are bad, those that bring rewards are good.

Question 7

Stage 1 - name

Answer 7

The punishment and obedience orientation.

Question 8

Stage 1

Answer 8

This style of morality ignore the intentions behind a behaviour and focuses on obeying rules that are enforced by punishment.

Question 9

Stage 2 - name

Answer 9

The instrumental purpose orientation.

Question 10

Stage 2

Answer 10

CHildren view actions as “right” if they satisfy their own needs.

Question 11

The conventional level

Answer 11

Individuals continue to believe that conformity to social rules is desirable, but this is not out of self-interest.
Maintaining the current social system ensures positive human relationships and social order.

Question 12

Stage 3 - name

Answer 12

Interpersonal cooperation

Question 13

Stage 3

Answer 13

This is a “good boy-good girl” orientation. What is right is defined by what is expected by others.

Question 14

Stage 4 - name

Answer 14

The social-order-maintaining orientation

Question 15

Stage 4

Answer 15

This marks the shift from defining what is right in terms of role expectations to defining what is right in terms of norms established by the larger social system.

Question 16

The post-conventional level

Answer 16

The post-conventional individual moves beyond unquestioning compliance with the norms of their own social system,
The individual now defines morality in terms of abstract moral principles that apply to all societies and situations.

Question 17

Stage 5 - name

Answer 17

The social contract orientation

Question 18

Stage 5

Answer 18

Laws are seen as relative and flexible.
Where they are consistent with individual rights and the interests of the majority they are upheld, otherwise they can be changed.

Question 19

Stage 6 - name

Answer 19

The universal ethical principles orientation

Question 20

Stage 6

Answer 20

Morality is defined in terms of delf-chosen abstract moral principles.
Laws usually conform to these principles, but where this is not the case, the individual acts in accordance with their moral principles.

Question 21

Conclusions

Answer 21

Kohlberg concluded that the key features of moral development are:
Stages are invariant and universal - people everywhere go through the same stages in the same order.
Each new stage represents a more equilibrated form of moral understanding, resulting in a more logically consistent and morally mature form of understanding.

Question 22

Alpha bias

Answer 22

The exaggeration or overestimation of differences between the sexes. These differences are presented as fixed and inevitable .

Question 23

Beta bias

Answer 23

Theories that ignore or minimise sex differences. These theories often assume that the findings from studies using males can apply equally to females.

Question 24

Colby et al (1983)

Answer 24

Longitudinal research on Kohlberg’s theory has since been carried out by Colby et al.
They tested 58 male participants of Kohlberg’s original study.
They tested them 6 times in the span of 27 years and found support for Kohlberg’s original conclusion.