Lawrence Kohlberg Theory of Moral Development

Kohlberg believed… At birth, all humans are void of morals, ethics, and honesty The family is considered to be the first source of values and moral development for an individual As one’s intelligence and ability to interact with others matures, so does one’s patterns of moral behaviour

Kohlberg based his theory on the work of Piaget (as intelligence and social interaction ability increases, so does moral maturity)

The Heinz Dilemma In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was 1 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 druggist was charging 10 times what the drug cost to him to make. He paid $ 400 for the radium and charged $ 4,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only get together $ 2,000, which was 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 for it later. But the druggist said, ‘No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make the money from it.’ So, having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.

1. Should Heinz steal the drug? Why? Why not? 2. Is it actually right or wrong for him to steal the drug? Why is it right/wrong? 3. Does Heinz have a duty or obligation to steal the drug? Why? Why not? 4. If Heinz does not love his wife, should he steal the drug for her? Does it make a difference in what Heinz should do whether or not he loves his wife?

5. Suppose the person dying not his wife but a stranger. Should Heinz steal the drug for a stranger? Why? Why not? 6. Suppose it is for a pet whom he loves. Should Heinz steal the drug to save the pet animal? Why? Why not? 7. Is it important for people to do everything they can to save another person’s life? Why? Why not?

8. Is it against the law for Heinz to steal the drug? Does that make it morally wrong? Why? Why not? 9. In general, should people try to do everything that they can to obey the law? Why? Why not? 10. In thinking back over the dilemma, what would you say is the most responsible thing for Heinz to do? Why?

Steve, a high school senior, is working at night to help support his mother, a single parent of three children. Steve is a conscientious student who works hard in his classes, but he doesn’t have enough time to study. History is not Steve’s favourite course and with his night job, he as a marginal D average. If he fails the final exam, he will fail the history course; he won’t receive the credit; he will be one credit short for graduation; and he will have to come back to high school for another semester to get this credit. He will have to change all of his university plans! He arranged to be off of work the night before the exam so that he could study extra hard, but early in the evening his boss called, desperate to have Steve come in a replace another employee who had called in sick at the last minute. His boss pressured him heavily, so Steve reluctantly went to work at 8:00 pm, and came home exhausted at 2:00 am. He tried to study, but he fell asleep on the couch with his book in his lap. His mother woke him up for school at 6:30 am. Steve went to his history class, looked at the test, and went blank. Everything seemed like a jumble. However, Jill, one of the best students in the class, happened to have her answer sheet positions so that he could clearly see every answer by barely moving his eyes. Based on what you have read here, is Steve justified in cheating on the test? How would you defend your answer?

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Level 1 – Preconventional or Premoral Stage 1: Heteronomous Morality Do the right thing in order to avoid punishment Stage 2: Individualism, Instrumental Purpose & Exchange Do the right thing to meet your own interests and help someone else meet their interests (‘You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours!’)

Level II – Conventional Stage 3: Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships & Interpersonal Conformity Do the right thing because it makes you look good to others; pleases others Stage 4: Social System & Conscience Do the right thing because authority is to be respected; laws are in place for a reason!

Level III – Post Conventional; Principled Stage 5: Social Contract; Utility & Individual Rights Do the right thing because you are part of the society that makes and upholds the law for the welfare of all! Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principle Do the right thing because you agree with the validity and principles of the law

Rosemary is a girl of about 21 years of age. For several months she has been engaged to a young man – let’s call him Geoffrey. The problem she faces is that between her and her betrothed, there lies a river. No ordinary river mind you, but a deep, wide river infested with hungry crocodiles. Rosemary ponders how she can cross the river. She thinks of a man she knows who has a boat. We’ll call him Sinbad. So she approaches Sinbad, asking him to take her across. He replies, “Yes, I’ll take you across if you’ll spend the night with me.” Shocked at this offer, she turns to another acquaintance, a certain Frederick, and she tells him her story. Frederick responds by saying, “Yes, Rosemary, I understand your problem – but – it’s your problem, not mine.” Rosemary decides to return to Sinbad, spends the night with him, and in the morning he takes her across the river….

Her reunion with Geoffrey is warm. But on the evening before they are to be married, Rosemary feels compelled to tell Geoffrey how she succeeded in getting across the river. Geoffrey responds by saying, “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last woman on earth!” Finally at her wits end, Rosemary turns to our last character, Dennis. Dennis listens to her story and says, “Well Rosemary, I don’t love you … but I will marry you.” And that’s all we know of the story.

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development influenced the work of Lawrence Kohlberg Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development influenced the work of Carol Gilligan

Carol Gilligan