8.4 - Kohlberg (1968): Moral Development
The concept of moral development and its progression
Moral development refers to the process through which individuals learn and internalise the values, beliefs, and judgements about right and wrong that are acceptable within their society. This development is not static but evolves over time through interactions with the environment.
Core principles of moral development
- Gradual evolution - Morals change as children grow and engage with their surroundings, learning societal norms.
- Sequential stages - Moral thinking progresses through distinct, identifiable stages that are consistent across individuals.
- Invariant order - Each stage builds on the previous one, requiring the acquisition of specific skills to advance.
- Starting point - Everyone begins life amoral, without a personal system of values or understanding of right and wrong.
Kohlberg's theory of moral development and its stages
Kohlberg's theory outlines a structured, six-stage model of moral development, grouped into three levels. This framework describes how moral judgement evolves from childhood to adulthood, reflecting a shift in focus from personal gain to universal ethical principles.
Overview of Kohlberg's three levels
- Preconventional level - Focuses on self-interest, where decisions are driven by avoiding punishment or gaining rewards.
- Conventional level - Centres on societal expectations, with emphasis on pleasing others and maintaining social order.
- Postconventional level - Reflects a concern for broader ethical principles and personal moral standards that may transcend societal norms.
Detailed stages of moral development
| Level | Stage | Focus of moral reasoning | Value of human life |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preconventional | Stage 1 | Obey rules to avoid punishment | Based on status or physical attributes |
| Stage 2 | Conform to obtain rewards or return favours | Seen in terms of satisfying personal needs | |
| Conventional | Stage 3 | Conform to avoid disapproval or dislike by others | Based on how much others value the person |
| Stage 4 | Conform to avoid displeasure of authority figures | Depends on the person's place in society | |
| Postconventional | Stage 5 | Conform to maintain respect within society | Tied to contribution to community welfare, a universal right |
| Stage 6 | Conform to avoid self-condemnation based on personal ethics | Based on universal respect for each individual |
Theoretical foundations influencing Kohlberg's ideas
Kohlberg's theory of moral development builds on earlier psychological perspectives that explore how individuals balance personal desires with societal expectations.
Key influences on Kohlberg's framework
- Freud's psychoanalytic theory (circa 1930) - Suggests moral development occurs when individual selfish desires are suppressed and replaced by the values of key socialising figures, highlighting a tension between personal needs and societal demands.
- Piaget's cognitive theory (1965) - Emphasises the importance of studying morality in a child's world to understand adult moral concepts, focusing on cognitive factors that contribute to the emergence of moral understanding.
Key findings from Kohlberg's classic 1968 study
Kohlberg's 1968 study is a cornerstone in the field of moral development, providing evidence for his six-stage theory through a detailed longitudinal and cross-cultural investigation. The research used hypothetical moral dilemmas to assess reasoning at different ages.
Method and procedure of the study
- Longitudinal design - Tracked a group of 75 American boys, starting at ages 10-16 and followed at three-year intervals until they were 22-28 years old.
- Moral assessment - Evaluated reasoning across 25 different moral concepts or aspects using hypothetical dilemmas.
- Cross-cultural scope - Included boys from diverse regions such as Taiwan, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, and Turkey to compare developmental patterns.
Results of the longitudinal study
- Consistency in thinking - Approximately half of the participants showed reasoning at a single stage, regardless of the specific dilemma presented.
- Age-related progression - Moral reasoning advanced with age, moving through the stages sequentially.
- Orderly development - Participants progressed one stage at a time, always in the same order, without skipping stages.
- Varied endpoints - Not all individuals reached Stage 6, indicating differences in the extent of moral development.
- Influence of peers - Children at earlier stages often moved forward when exposed to the reasoning of peers at a slightly higher stage.
Conclusions from the study
- Invariant sequence - The study confirmed a consistent developmental order in moral reasoning across individuals.
- Universal applicability - The six-stage model holds across different social, cultural, and religious contexts, with only the speed of progression varying.
Cross-cultural insights into moral development
Kohlberg's 1968 study also explored how moral development manifests across different cultural backgrounds, providing insights into the universal and variable aspects of moral reasoning.
Observations from cross-cultural research
- Taiwanese responses - Boys aged 10-13 in Taiwan typically exhibited classic Stage 2 reasoning, focusing on rewards and personal needs.
- Consistent order, varied pace - The sequence of stages was the same across cultures, but the rate of progression differed.
- Socioeconomic differences - Middle-class children often showed more advanced moral judgement compared to lower-class peers of the same age.
- Religious neutrality - No significant differences were found in moral development among various religious groups or between religious and non-religious individuals.