Psychology and Sociology: Kohlberg's Moral Reasoning

Question 1

Theory of moral reasoning

Answer 1

as our cognitive abilities grow, we are able to think about the world in more complex and nuanced ways, and this directly affects the ways in which we resolve moral dilemmas and perceive the notion of right and wrong

Question 2

Preconventional morality

Answer 2

-First of the stages
-Typical of preadolescent thinking and places an emphasis on the consequences of the moral choice
-Stage 1: Obedience (concerned with avoiding punishment)
-Stage 2: Self-interest (about gaining rewards)

Question 3

Conventional morality

Answer 3

-Begins to develop in early adolescence when individuals begin to see themselves in terms of their relationships with others
-Based on understanding and accepting social rules
-Stage 3: Conformity (Places emphasis on the “good boy, nice girl” orientation in which a person seeks the approval of others)
-Stage 4: Law and Order (maintains the social order in the highest regard)

Question 4

Postconventional morality

Answer 4

-Describes a level of reasoning that Kohlberg claimed not everyone was capable of and is based on social mores, which may conflict with laws
-Social 5: Social contract (Views moral rules as conventions that are designed to ensure the greater good, with reasoning focused on individual rights)
-Social 6: Universal human ethics (Reasons that decisions should be made in consideration of abstract principles)