Kohlberg's study

Question 1

What was Kohlberg’s aim?

Answer 1

To provide evidence for his stage theory of moral development

Question 2

Describe Kohlberg’s US sample

Answer 2

75 amewricaj boys aged 10-16 at the beginning and 22-28 at the end. From Chicago - working class

Question 3

Why was Kohlberg’s study longitudinal?

Answer 3

Because it took place over 12 years, with participants being tested every three years

Question 4

How did Kohlberg collect information?

Answer 4

hypothetical, moral dilemmas. Their answers and reasonings behind them were linked to 25 basic moral concepts

Question 5

What are two strengths of longitudinal studies?

Answer 5

allows researcher to look at changes over time (good for developmental issues)
Higher validity as more time to look over and check results

Question 6

What are two weaknesses of longitudinal studies?

Answer 6

They require lots of time and are often expensive , so have a small sample.
Some participants may drop out over time, threatening the validity of the experiment and shrinking the sample size (attrition)

Question 7

In which countries did Kohlberg conduct his experiment?

Answer 7

USA, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Turkey, UK

Question 8

Why did Kohlberg go to the effort of collecting data is so many different countries?

Answer 8

To decrease ethnocentrism - to compare how culture affects moral development

Question 9

What are two strengths of cross cultural research?

Answer 9

Helps reduce ethnocentrism

Helps establish factors linked to development (nature/nature)

Question 10

What are two weaknesses of cross cultural research

Answer 10

Can be expensive and time consuming

Might be a language barrier - damages validity of experiment if they don’t fully understand what they are being asked

Question 11

Did Kohlberg’s study have internal reliability

Answer 11

Yes as they did the same thing every 3 years with the same stories, however may have been confusion or stress

Question 12

Did Kohlberg’s study have external reliability?

Answer 12

Yes because there were many people across all countries, however No as only 75 in the original may have not been enough. Also, there was a Social Class bias as they were all from working/ lower classes

Question 13

Did Kohlberg’s study have external population validity?

Answer 13

Yes because there were people from all over the world

No because they were all young men

Question 14

Did Kohlberg’s study have external ecological validity?

Answer 14

No as the people had probably never experienced some of the things in the hypothetical senators (e.g being married)

Question 15

Did Kohlberg’s study have internal construct validity?

Answer 15

Not really, it could have been measuring social desirability or demand characteristics

Question 16

What did Kohlberg’s conclude?

Answer 16

The stages of moral development follow an invariant developmental sequence and do not skip steps and that the nature of the sequence is universal, he said that moral thought behaves like all other kinds of thought

Question 17

In what areas can Kohlberg’s research be defended ethically?

Answer 17

Deception, right to withdraw, confidentiality, parental consent

Question 18

How can Kohlberg’s study be criticised ethically?

Answer 18

There was no full informed consent and no protection from harm (may have felt bad about giving the right/wrong answer)

Question 19

What is stage 1 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 19

Obedience/punishment orientation

The child is good in order not to be punished

Question 20

What is stage 2 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 20

Self interest orientation

Morality seen as an exchange - do something if they get something in return

Question 21

What is stage 3 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 21

Social conformity orientation

children behave to look good and be seen as nice

Question 22

What is stage 4 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 22

Law and order orientation

right behaviour is doing one’s duty, law is set in stone

Question 23

What is stage 5 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 23

Social contract orientation

Still based on law but more personal side of law. law now seen as changeable

Question 24

What is stage 6 of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development called? and summarise it

Answer 24

Universal ethics orientation
Decisions based on universal principles of justice, equality of human rights and of respect of dignity of human beings as individual persons.