Stages of Social , Behavioral & Moral Development

Eric Erickson Social and Moral Development – hyperlinked to grid

Lawrence Kohlberg 1927-1987 Heavily influenced by Piaget

Moral Development in Children

Kohlberg’s Work Psychology has avoided studying anything loaded with value judgments. There is a degree of difficulty involved in trying to be unbiased about things that involve terms like good an bad. Kohlberg researched morality by asking children and adults to try to solve moral dilemmas contained in little stories, and to do so out loud so he could follow their reasoning. He was not as interested in their specific answers but rather the thought process behind people reaching their answers.

Heinz’s Dilemma One of the most famous of these stories concerned a man named Heinz. His wife was dying of a disease that could be cured if he could get a certain medicine. When he asked the pharmacist, he was told that he could get the medicine, but only at a very high price—one that Heinz could not possibly afford. So the next evening, Heinz broke into the pharmacy and stole the drug to save his wife's life. Was Heinz right or wrong to steal the drug? Hyperlinked stories Preconventional stage – egocentric. He should not steal the drug because he would go to jail Conventional Stage – person moves past personal gain or loss but look at demlina throught social values and what society deems as acceptable – he should steal, save his wife and society would call him a hero Post conventional – personal conviction, upholding justice – his wife’s life outweighs the store owners personal property, a very high level of moral development Gender bias - - given the times most of the interviews were males Western bias – questions were primarily white – didn’t interview Asians, native Americans