Kolhberg’s

STAGES OF
DEVELOPME
NT
About him
Lawrence Kohlberg was, for many
years, a professor at Harvard
University. He became famous for his
work there beginning in the early
1970s. He started as a developmental
psychologist and then moved to the La wre n ce
field of moral education.
Kolh b er g
 He was particularly well-known for his
theory of moral development which he
popularized through research studies
conducted at Harvard's Center for Moral
Education.

His theory of moral development was

dependent on the thinking of the Swiss
psychologist Jean Piaget and the American
philosopher John Dewey. He was also
 Introduction
Moral development is the process by which people develop the
distinction between right and wrong (morality) and engage in
reasoning between the two (moral reasoning).

Kohlberg's theory of moral development is a theory that

focuses on how children develop morality and moral reasoning.
Kohlberg's theory suggests that moral development occurs in a
series of six stages and that moral logic is primarily focused on
seeking and maintaining justice.
 How do people develop
Morality?
• American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed one
of the best-known theories exploring some of these basic
questions. His work modified and expanded upon
Jean Piaget's previous work but was more centered on
explaining how children develop moral reasoning.
• Kohlberg extended Piaget's theory, proposing that moral
development is a continual process that occurs throughout
the lifespan. Kohlberg's theory outlines six stages of moral
development within three different levels.
 How he
developed it?
Kohlberg based his theory on a series of moral
dilemmas presented to his study subjects. Participants
were also interviewed to determine the reasoning
behind their judgments in each scenario
 Heinz Dilemma
• He used Piaget’s storytelling technique to tell
people stories involving moral dilemmas. In
each case, he presented a choice to be
considered, for example, between the rights of
some authority and the needs of some deserving
individual unfairly treated.
• After presenting people with various moral
dilemmas, Kohlberg categorized their responses
into different stages of moral reasoning.
Heinz Dilemma
QUEST
IONS
 Stages of Moral
Development
• Lawrence Kohlberg formulated a theory asserting that
individuals progress through six distinct stages of moral
reasoning from infancy to adulthood.
• He grouped these stages into three broad categories of
moral reasoning, pre-conventional, conventional, and post-
conventional.
• Each level is associated with increasingly complex stages
of moral development.
 3 Levels of Moral
Reasoning
Preconventional Conventional Postconventional
Morality Morality Morality
 Lasts un
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 Stage 1 Stage 2
(Obedience and Punishment) (Individualism and Exchange)

At the individualism
According to and exchange stage of
Kohlberg, people at moral development,
this stage see rules as children account for
fixed and absolute. individual points of
Obeying the rules is view and judge
important because it actions based on how
is a way to avoid they serve individual
punishment. needs.
 8yrs -
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v e n t i o n s o f o t n s h i p s
C o n c t a t i o n r e l a t i o w r o n g .
e xpe i b ili t i e s o f
r i g h t a n d
e s p o n s i e w o f r t a n t t o
e s t h e r e o u r v s i m p o
t s t r e s s n f l u e n c t h a t i t ’ t
t e m t h a m u s t i e l i e v e p r e v e n
l s y s e a n d a l i t y b r a n d
A so c i a e n a s d e s i r a b l e n t i o n a l m o r
a i n t a i n o r d e
r i s s e w c o n v n s t o m
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p l e w h a n d e x p
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 Stage 3 Stage 4
(Good Interpersonal Relationships) (Law and Order Morality)

Social rules and laws determine

Behaviour is determined behaviour. The individual now takes
by social approval. The into consideration a larger
individual wants to perspective, that of societal laws.
maintain or win the Moral decision making becomes
affection and approval of more than consideration of close ties
others by being a “good to others. The individual believes
person.” that rules and laws maintain social
order that is worth preserving.
 So me
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n t io n a v i d u a l ’ a t t h e y
n v e in d i s . w h
P o s tc o r iz e d b y a n
p r i n c i p l e
d e b a s e d o n
p l e a t t h is
r a c t e d e c i a t p e o
c ha e n p e o p le
m e a n s t h
o n ’ t j u s t
y i s w h s . T h i s s a n d d
m o r a l i t he r u l e d v a l u e
t io n a l w i n g t p le s a n
n v e n t f o l l o r i n c i
P o s tc o h e r t h a n j u s
w n e t h i c a l p
m t o d o .
w h a t v a l ue s
r a t i r o t h e n d
i s ri g h t a l i t y h a v e t h e
s o c i e t y t e l l s
h a t i s j u s t , a
o f m o r o w h a t s f a i r , w
lev e l d w h a t i
a b o u t t .
l e t h i n k p o r t a n
l , p e o p a r e i m
l e v e
At t h i s
 Stage 5 Stage 6
(Social Contract and Individual (Universal Principles)
Rights)
Kohlberg’s final level of moral
The ideas of a social reasoning is based on universal
contract and individual ethical principles and abstract
rights cause people in the reasoning. At this stage, people
next stage to begin to follow these internalized principles
account for the differing of justice, even if they conflict with
values, opinions, and beliefs laws and rules.
of other people.
• Kohlberg's theory suggests that individuals progress
through these stages sequentially, with each stage building
upon the previous one. However, not everyone reaches the
highest stages, and moral development can vary from
person to person.

• Kohlberg's stages of moral development have been

influential in the fields of psychology and education, as
they provide a framework for understanding how
individuals develop their moral reasoning and the factors
that influence their ethical decision-making.
 Activity:

The class will be divided into 3 groups. Each

group will be given a moral dilemma to share in
front of the class. The group members must then
answer the questions that have been provided,
along with your scenario.
 Activity:
• What are the ethical considerations at play in this
situation?
• How might individuals at different stages of
moral development approach this dilemma?
• What would be a response at the pre-
conventional, conventional, and post-
conventional levels?
Thank
Yo u !