Unit 4: Developmental Psychology Essential Task 4-7: Compare and contrast Kohlberg and Gilligan’s models of moral development. Logo Green is R=8 G=138 B=76 Blue is R= 0 G=110 B=184 Border Grey is R=74 G=69 B=64

Unit 4 Developmental Psych We are here Social Adulthood Types of Studies Adolescence Adulthood Unit 4 Developmental Psych Prenatal Development Aging We are here Cognitive Development Moral Development Piaget’s Stages Vygotsky’s Theory Kohlberg Gilligan Social Development Erikson Gender Parenting Styles

Heinz Dilemma In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ 1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it." So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug-for his wife. Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not?[1]

Morality Development: Piaget Responses to moral problems can be divided into two broad stages:  Moral Realism (Morality of Constraint) – Rules are concrete, consequences determine all guilt (6 year olds)  Moral Relativism (Morality of Cooperation) – Rules are flexible, intent is important in determining guilt (12 year olds)

Ethics Vs Morality What is the difference between the two? Morals are how you treat people you know. Ethics are how you treat people you don’t know. Morality is primarily about making correct choices, while ethics is about proper reasoning

Trolley problem You see that a runway train is hurtling down a track, and that is going to hit a group of 5 people standing in its path and will certainly kill them all. However, you happen to be standing next to a switch that can divert the train down another track where only a single person is standing. What would you do?

Trolley problem Cont Suppose that there is no switch, but that you are instead standing on a bridge over the railway track next to a very fat man, and you are sure that if you pushed him onto the track his bulk (but not yours) would be sufficient to stop the train before it hit the group of people. What do you think now? Should you kill the fat man?

Morality Development: Kohlberg Level I: Pre-conventional: Egocentric orientation focusing on moral consequences for the self; reasoning found until about 10 years of age Stage Description Moral reasoning based on immediate consequences for the individual. An act is moral if a person isn’t punished for it. It is immoral if the person is punished. 1: Punishment - Obedience 2: Individualism and Exchange Moral reasoning based on reciprocity. An act is moral if a similar act occurs in return (i.e. satisfies own needs)

Morality Development: Kohlberg Level II: Conventional: Moral reasoning linked to perspectives of, and concerns for, others (i.e. loyalty, obeying the law, family obligation); typical of 10 to 20 yr olds. Stage Description Moral reasoning based on concern for others or the opinions of others. An act is moral if others demonstrate similar acts, or it helps others (i.e. behavior likely to please others) 3: Good boy-nice girl Moral reasoning based on rules, laws, and orderly society. An act is moral if it follows rules or promotes an orderly society. 4: Law and Order

Morality Development: Kohlberg Level III: Post-conventional. Reasoning transcends society’s rules; reflects an understanding that rules sometimes need to be changed/ignored. Stage Description Moral reasoning based on principled agreements among people. An act is moral if it is consistent with a principled agreement. (ex: Bill of Rights) 5: Social Contract Moral reasoning based on abstract principles. An act is moral if it is consistent with an abstract principle that transcends an individual’s society. 6: Universal Ethical

Summary of Kohlberg’s Six Stage Theory of Morality Development:   1: Punishment and Obedience Moral reasoning based on immediate consequences for the individual. 2: Market Exchange Moral reasoning based on reciprocity. An act is moral if a similar act occurs in return. 3: Interpersonal Harmony Moral reasoning based on concern for others or the opinions of others. 4: Law and Order Moral reasoning based on rules, laws, and an orderly society. 5: Social Contract Moral reasoning based on principled agreements among people.   6: Universal Principles Moral reasoning based on abstract principles.

Morality Development: Exercise (I) 1. If I stay out I will be in big trouble with my parents. Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience Preconventional Ethics: Young children, some teenagers It’s not like they’ve never broken a promise to me. Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange My parents and I agreed that midnight was fair, and you can’t go back on your agreements. Stage 5: Social Contract Postconventional Ethics: Middle school to high school students 4. If I stay out my parents will be worried. Stage 3: Good boy-nice girl Conventional Ethics: Middle school to high school students

Morality Development: Exercise (II) It’s the curfew, so I’ll be in by midnight. Stage 4: Law and order Conventional Ethics: Middle school to high school students My friends have curfews, too, and they’re going to be home by then. Stage 3: Good boy Nice Girl

Piaget, Kohlberg, and Gilligan: Moral Development Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Theory Acceleration of moral development through instruction is limited Moral dilemmas are too removed from everyday social interactions  Too much emphasis on moral reasoning and not enough on moral behavior  Research sample (white males) limits the generalizability of the findings

Morality Development: Gender Differences Are there gender differences? Do men and women approach moral dilemmas differently? Some suggest: Men: judgment on abstract concepts (justice, rules, individual rights) Women: Interpersonal connections and attention to human needs Ultimately, findings mixed Kohlberg focused exclusively on cognitive aspects of moral reasoning/development

Piaget, Kohlberg, and Gilligan: Moral Development Gilligan’s View of Identity and Moral Development Student of Kohlberg and later became critical of some of him Females develop along different path Preconventional. Care is egocentric Conventional. Care results from internalized focus on others, while neglecting oneself Postconventional. Critical of approach in Conventional stage; Learn to balance caring for self with caring for others.