Task 9: Moral Development Flashcards
Name the 3 stages of the development in children’s moral reasoning (Piaget)
- Premoral judgement (4 to 5)
- Moral realism (4-10)
- Moral subjectivism (9-10)
- Premoral judgement (4-5)
rules not understood
- Moral realism (5-10)
rules come from higher authority and cannot be changed
evaluate actions based on outcomes
punishment = invitable retribution
- Moral subjectivism (9-10)
rules are created by people and can be changed by mutual consent
evaluate actions by intentions
punishment as chosen to fit crime
Discuss 4 criticisms of Piaget’s theory
- The quality of peer interactions is more important than quantity.
- By making intentions more salient in tests, rather than consequences, young children are more likely to recognize people with bad intentions.
- If told explicitly that person had no foreknowledge of consequences, young children would not think person caused something on purpose.
- Young children do not believe that some actions (hurting others) are right even when adults say they are.
Describe the stages of Kohlberg’s theory of moral judgement
Moral development proceeds through specific series of stages that are discontinuous and hierarchical. So, each new stage reflects qualitatively different, more adequate way of thinking.
Does everyone move through Kohlberg’s stages and do they reach all stages?
everyone moves through them in the same order but differ in how many stages they attain
What kind of people show higher-level moral judgement?
People who have:
- Higher-level cognitive skills
- Higher perspective-taking skills
- Better educated
Name the 1/3 level of Kohlberg’s stages of moral judgement development
- what are each centered and focused on?
- age associated
- Preconventional level (stage 1= punishment and obedience orientation, stage 2= instrumental and exchange orientation
- self-centered and focused on getting rewards and avoiding punishment
- mainly 10 years old
Name the 2/3 level of Kohlberg’s stages of moral judgement development
- what are each centered and focused on?
- age associated
- Conventional level (stage 3= mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships and interpersonal conformity, stage 4- social system and conscience orientation)
- centered on social relationships
- focuses on compliance with social duties and laws
- mainly 14+
Name the 3/3 level of Kohlberg’s stages of moral judgement development
- what are each centered and focused on?
- Postconventional level (stage 5= social contract or individual rights orientation, stage 6= universal ethical principles)
- focused on moral principles
Stage 1 (Punishment and Obedience Orientation) of Kohlberg
- Child does not consider interests of others and what makes them decide what is good or wrong (= conscience) is scared of punishment and moral actions are motivated by avoidance of punishment.
- Reasoning in dilemma emphasizes punishment by legal authorities and jail.
- What is right is obedience to authorities.
Stage 2 (Instrumental and exchange orientation) of Kohlberg
- Right behavior is doing what is in one’s own best interest or involves equal exchange between people.
- Reasoning in dilemma emphasizes reward of saving life and punishment is less severe than in stage 1
Stage 3 (mutual interpersonal expectations, relationships and interpersonal conformity) of Kohlberg
- Right behavior is doing what is generally expected by people close to person and by society.
- Being good means having good motives, showing concern about others and maintaining good relationships.
- Reasoning in dilemma emphasizes judgement of family members and shame that others know about the crime.
Stage 4 (social system and conscience orientation) of Kohlberg
- Right behavior is fulfilling one’s duties, upholding laws and contributing to society or one’s group.
- Reasoning in dilemma emphasizes responsibility of looking after one another’s health in marriage and there is no reasoning supporting that Heinz should not steal drug.
- Individual is motivated to keep social system and avoid breakdown in its functioning.
Stage 5 (social system and conscience orientation) of Kohlberg
- Right behavior is upholding rules in best interest of group, impartial and agreed upon by group.
- Exceptions – Life and liberty are universally right and must be upheld regardless of majority opinion.
- Reasoning in dilemma emphasizes that right to life must take precedence over other values and it is difficult to construct reason justifying not stealing drug.
Stage 6 (Universal ethical principles)
- Right behavior is commitment to self-chosen ethical principles that reflect universal principles of justice (equality of human rights and respect for dignity).
- Individual should act in accordance with universal principles when laws violate these principles.
Discuss 4 criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory
- Does not sufficiently differentiate between moral issues and issues of social convention.
- Only reflects intellectualized conception of morality biased by Western values – It does not consider cultural differences.
- It is not clear that development of moral reasoning is qualitatively discontinuous (children and adolescents may acquire cognitive skills to use higher stages of moral reasoning but may use lower stages when it is consistent with goals, motives or beliefs in a situation).
- Classification is biased against females because it does not recognize differences in moral reasoning between males and females (males score higher in dilemma – They value justice and rights, while females value responsibility, avoidance of hurting others and caring)
Prosocial Behaviour
Voluntary behavior intended to benefit another, such as helping, sharing, and comforting of others.
How does prosocial moral judgement change with age?
children’s prosocial moral judgement becomes more abstract and based more on internalized principles and values.
Name the 5 levels of prosocial moral reasoning (Eisenberg)
- Hedonistic self-focused orientation
- Needs-based orientation
- Approval and/or stereotyped orientation
4a. Self-reflective empathic orientation
4b. Transitional level - Strongly internalized stage