kohlberg theory Flashcards
level 1: self interest (pre conventional level)
STAGE 1
-moral decisions are based primarily on fear of punishment or the need to be obedient
STAGE 2
-moral reasoning is guided most by satisfying ones self interest (may involve making bargains)
ex)
stage 1: don’t steal drugs because you’ll get caught and go to jail
stage 2: you can steal the drugs and save ur friend but you’ll have to give up some freedom by going to jail
level 2: social approval (conventional level)
-intermediate level of moral reasoning
STAGE 3
-moral decisions are guided mostly by conforming to the standard of others we value
ex) steal the drugs since that is what your family would expect you to do
STAGE 4
-moral reasoning is determined most by conforming to laws of society
ex) shouldn’t steal the drug because of what would happen to society if everyone took what they needed
level 3: abstract ideas (post conventional level)
-the highest level of moral reasoning
STAGE 5
-moral decisions are made after carefully thinking about all the alternatives and striking a balance between human rights and laws of society
ex) One should steal the drug because life is more important than money. Some, but not all, adults reach the post conventional level
kohlbergs theory of moral reasoning
- classifies moral reasoning into three distinct levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional
- hypothesize that everyone goes through the five stages in sequence
- begin at stage one cannot reach stage 5 without going through stages 2, 3, 4
criticism
-focused on development of mall thinking rather than on the development of moral behavior
-men and women may differ in their moral thinking: menus are just this orientation and women use a care orientation
-he did not know about recent advances and studying the neural structure and function of the living brain
•teenage brain has an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex which results in an underdeveloped executive area
