Kohlberg (classic study)

Question 1

Moral development

Answer 1

How children begin to construct a system of beliefs by cognitive development and accepting rules + attitudes which determines right or wrong

Question 2

Previous theories of moral development

Answer 2

Psychodynamic perspective (Freud)
Behaviourist perspective
Jean Piaget

Question 3

Jean Piaget perspective on moral development

Answer 3

Moral thinking is in 2 stages:
Heteronomous stage where children don’t consider intention but only outcome if action is bad/good
Autonomous which takes into account another person’s perspective

Question 4

Kohlberg’s inspiration from Jean Piaget

Answer 4

Agreed there were stages to moral development and was a developmental process as cognitive reasoning improved in children

Question 5

Aim of Kohlberg’s study

Answer 5

To investigate the moral development in children to provide evidence for his theory in moral development

Question 6

What type of research method was this?

Answer 6

Self report study in the series of semi structured interviews

Question 7

Sample used

Answer 7

First 725were boys sampled from Chicago between 10-16 who over course of 12 year study were 22-28
Other boys studied from different countries later

Question 8

procedure step 1

Answer 8

Kohlberg interviewed each participant and presented them with philosophical moral dilemmas eg Heinz dilemma

Question 9

What themes were used in kohlbergs questions in his interviews?

Answer 9

Questions about the value of human life
Questions about duty to not lie and keep promises
Questions about not stealing

Question 10

Procedure step 2

Answer 10

Kohlberg judged boys responses to identify what moral thinking they were showing and what stage in development they were at

Question 11

Procedure step 3

Answer 11

Over 12 year intervals every 3 years, Kohlberg follows up the boys to interview them again with more hypothetical moral dilemmas
To judge their progression through his stages of moral development

Question 12

Longitudinal study

Answer 12

A study which follows up participants over a long period, which Kohlberg did for 12 years in 3 year intervals following up the same boys to ask them Philosophical moral dilemmas

Question 13

Procedure step 4

Answer 13

Kohlberg travelled to different countries to interview boys and determine their place in his stages of moral development theory
In order to show his model wasn’t cultural specific

Question 14

Cross cultural study

Answer 14

A study in which someone collects data from other cultures around the world in order to measure the differences/similarities in behaviour

Question 15

What countries did Kohlberg collect data from in his cross cultural study?

Answer 15

Malaysia
Taiwan
UK
Mexico
Turkey

Question 16

What was the main outline of kohlberg’s theory on moral development?

Answer 16

There are 3 levels: level 1, 2 and 3
And each level is composed of 2 stages
(So 6 stages in total)

Question 17

What moral aspects was each stage in his theory concerned about?

Answer 17

The motivation to obey certain rules (what someone’s moral reasoning to do so is)
The value of human life

Question 18

Level 1 of his theory on moral reasoning

Answer 18

Pre conventional
Stage 1
Stage 2

Question 19

Stage 1 of his theory name

Answer 19

Obedience and punishment orientation

Question 20

Stage 1 of his theory of moral reasoning development

Answer 20

Obedient and follows rules set by cultural norms to avoid punishment (so may break rules if punishment might not happen)
And value of human life is based on someone’s social status or physical attributes

Question 21

Stage 2 of his theory name

Answer 21

Self interest orientation

Question 22

Stage 2 of his theory of moral reasoning development

Answer 22

The reasoning is based on what the person can gain or get in return
The value of human life is linked to satisfying the possessor and other people’s needs eg if wife died then their family wouldn’t have someone to cook for them etc

Question 23

Level 2 of his theory on moral reasoning development

Answer 23

Conventional
Stage 3
Stage 4

Question 24

Stage 3 of his theory name

Answer 24

Good girl/boy orientation

Question 25

Stage 3 of his theory on moral reasoning development

Answer 25

The morality is based on approval of other people and what everyone else thinks (conformity to expectations)
So the value of human life is based on affection of other people to its possessor

Question 26

Stage 4 of his theory name

Answer 26

Authority and social order orientation

Question 27

Stage 4 of his theory on moral development reasoning

Answer 27

Moral reasoning based on maintaining social order in society by following laws
The value of human life is universal (based on religious idea or laws) but not autonomous because it is dependent on this

Question 28

Level 3 of his theory on development of moral reasoning

Answer 28

Post conventional
Stage 5
Stage 6

Question 29

Stage 5 of his theory name

Answer 29

Social contract orientation

Question 30

Stage 5 of his theory on moral reasoning development

Answer 30

Does what is right based on law and personal values and opinions thus changeable compared to stage 4
Value of human life is a universal human right but also concern for welfare of others

Question 31

Stage 6 of his theory name

Answer 31

Universal ethical principles orientation

Question 32

Stage 6 of his theory on moral reasoning development

Answer 32

Does what is right to avoid self condemnation for universal human rights of justice, equality, reciprocity and respect
So every human life value is absolute determined by universe even if no one or themself values it

Question 33

How does stage 6 differ from the rest on value of human life?

Answer 33

The definition of human life is centrally valuable to all and has no dependence on authority or other people

Question 34

Conclusion Kohlberg made from his research about his own theory (in terms of invariance)

Answer 34

All people progress through the stages 1 at a time but they are invariant so no steps are skipped (but speed they are passed through can vary, this is affected by social class

Question 35

Conclusion Kohlberg made from his research about his theory (in terms of condition development)

Answer 35

There is a link between developing cognitive skills such as considering other people’s pov and developing through stages
Where they take in data (thinking) to take in new information but balance these thoughts with their experiences (cognitive organisation)
Morality develops In the same, invariant stages regardless of the culture grown in

Question 36

Conclusion Kohlberg made from his research about his theory (in terms of cultures)

Answer 36

His theory was universal regardless of where you grow up: different cultures will have different answers to his dilemmas but the overall thinking followed his stages

Question 37

Conclusion Kohlberg made from his research about his theory (in terms of children comprehending next stage)

Answer 37

In discussion, a child (eg at stage 3) can comprehend and accept the next stage that they’re at (eg stage 4)
But they cannot comprehend the stage after that (stage 5)
But they can comprehend but reject previous stage (stage 2)

Question 38

How does kohlberg’s theory differ from behaviourist and psychodynamic theory?

Answer 38

Behaviourist and psychodynamic theory differentiate moral thinking and action
But Kohlberg links them directly

Question 39

Evaluation of construct validity

Answer 39

Hard to show demand characteristics or social desirability because hard to guess kohlberg’s aims and show higher stage moral thinking
But could be a measure of linguistic ability and intelligence instead?

Question 40

Evaluation of population validity

Answer 40

Low for only using boys and not measure of all age ranges
High for range of cultures in cross cultural study

Question 41

Evaluation for ecological validity

Answer 41

Certain dilemmas may have unfamiliar situations + all hypothetical so unsure if they will actually think this way irl

Question 42

Evaluation of reliability

Answer 42

High: 75 is large sample for boys
Standardised where 50% of boys answers had to match a stage to be put their
Low: unknown sample size for other cultures
Need to replicate test but difficult as it was unstructured interview

Question 43

Evaluation of ethics

Answer 43

Good: informed consent every 3 years and had right to withdraw/ignore Kohlberg
No deception as he genuinely just wanted their answers
Low: some scenarios may be upsetting, involving death and disease etc

Question 44

Evaluation of sample

Answer 44

Low generalisability as the sample only used boys from a specific area in states
Perhaps girls show different moral reasoning as proposed by Gilligan

Question 45

Evaluation of ethnocentrism

Answer 45

Assumption that all cultures have same moral reasoning could be ethnocentric but lessened by it being a cross cultural study
But still many cultures not represented in his study

Question 46

Evaluation of kohlberg’s actual theory

Answer 46

Argument that perhaps stages don’t develop as you progress, for example stage 5 is different than 6 but not necessarily inferior

Question 47

Evaluation of research method

Answer 47

Longitudinal study may cause participant attrition (dropping out) which could skew the sample eg those who are developing would remain
Also time +costs but Kohlberg knew this so not an issue