Moral Development

Question 1

Piaget’s theory: 0-5 years

Answer 1

premoral judgement - no understanding of morality or rules

Question 2

Piaget’s theory: 5-9 years

Answer 2

heteronomous morality - rules externally imposed and essentially unalterable; accidents following wrongdoing = punishment; judgement based on action not intent

Question 3

Piaget’s theory: 10yrs+

Answer 3

Autonomous morality: judged by intent not consequences; rules can be changed by mutual consent

Question 4

What did Piaget base his theory of morality on?

Answer 4

Children playing marbles

Question 5

Give criticisms of Piaget’s thoery

Answer 5

1) Marbles isn’t the best model
2) Piaget’s stories (heteronomous morality) made it easier to see the effects of action rather than intent.
3) The study was conducted on a different society to ours today
4) Believed once attained, moral stages unalterable. Not so

Question 6

Who presented videos to children with stories similar to Piaget’s morality stories? Findings?

Answer 6

Chandler; children more likely to correctly identify ‘naughty kids’

Question 7

Who found moral reasoning doesn’t remain intact and unaltered during childhood?

Answer 7

McDonald and Stuart-Hamilton

Question 8

Building on Piaget’s theory of morality, _____ examined e stages of mature morality

Answer 8

Kohlberg

Question 9

What were the levels outlined by K___? Subcategories of each?

Answer 9

1) Pre-conventional morality:
punishment-obedience, instrumental-relativist
2) Conventional morality: good boy-nice girl, law and order
3) Post-conventional morality:
social construct, universal ethical principle

Question 10

Kohlberg theory: actions judged by their consequences. Therefore, rules obeyed simply to avoid punishment.

Answer 10

Punishment-obedience orientation

Question 11

Kohlberg stages; what is good or bad determined by personal needs

Answer 11

Instrument relativist orientation

Question 12

Kohlberg: what is good is what is approved by others

Answer 12

Good boy-Nice girl orientation

Question 13

Kohlberg - the law is absolute – regardless of personal feelings, the letter of the law must be obeyed

Answer 13

Law and order orientation

Question 14

Kohlberg - what is good or bad is what society agrees to as a whole; thus, different cultures may have different ideas of right and wrong

Answer 14

Social contract orientation

Question 15

Kohlberg - what is good or bad depends on individual conscience shaped by abstract ideals such as justice, human rights, etc. These should be universally recognised by others across all societies.

Answer 15

Universal ethical principle

Question 16

Other aspects of Kohlberg’s stages:

3 points

Answer 16

1) Sequential: No skipping of stages.
2) People in stage x can comprehend stages x+1, but not beyond
3) Few people will reach stage 3

Question 17

Criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 17

1) Androcentric - women score lower due to male-centred views
2) What gives him right to judge?