Moral Development

What is Moral Development? From a Latin word “Moralis” A behavior conform to the community norms Acceptable by the society Awareness about What is good/bad What is right/wrong

The word moral covers positive attitude and attribute: trustworthy fair communityness polite unselfish free respect others punctual cooperate thankful tolerable Good natured rational independent loving brave diligent hygienic moderate

Moral development refers to ..... Values acquirement and awareness about what is right or wrong  based on code of ethics set by the community Moral definition differs (what is good/bad)  depending on culture & community Example: Living together without marriage Abortion Sex before marriage

A moral person Able to identify Good (right) behavior , and Bad (wrong) behavior A person ability to differentiate between what is good or bad is influence by Their ability to understand intention Society rules and code of ethics Values and culture of the society This ability is influenced by ones cognitive and psychosocial development

3 Components of moral development Affective (emotion) Cognitive (thoughts) Behavior This is related to standards of right and wrong.

Moral Thought (Piaget’s Idea) First stimulated by Piaget (1932). Observed children 4-12 years old playing marbles. Ask children about ethical issues (theft, lies, punishment and justice) 2 distinct morality (depending on child’s maturity): Heteronomous morality Autonomous morality

Heteronomous morality (4-7 years old) Justice and rule are conceived as unchangeable What is right/wrong is based on consequences of behavior rather than intention; believes in immanent justice (punishment immediately follow wrong doings) Adherence to rules and obedience to authority. Autonomous morality (10 years old) Aware that rules and law are created by people In judging action, consider intention and consequences.

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development Lawrence Kohlberg's ideas of moral development are based on the premise that: at birth, all humans are void of morals, ethics, and honesty. Family as the first source of values and moral development for an individual. One's intelligence and ability to interact with others matures & one's patterns of moral behavior

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development Kohlberg developed a model of moral development based on responses to moral dilemmas. Kohlberg theory is based on a person reasoning ability when faced with certain isues  at every stages DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development According to Kohlberg:- Moral development occurs in stages Moral development is universal and occurs in 3 main stages. Stage 1: PRECONVENTIONAL Stage 2: CONVENTIONAL Stage 3: POSTCONVENTIONAL Each main stage is further sub divide into 2 sub-stage

Stages in Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development Stage 1: PRECONVENTIONAL Sub stage 1: Punishment-obedience orientation Sub stage 2: Personal reward orientation Stage 2: CONVENTIONAL Sub stage 3: Good boy-nice girl orientation Sub stage 4: Law and order orientation Stage 3: POSTCONVENTIONAL Sub stage 5: Social contract orientation Sub stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientation DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Stage 1: PRECONVENTIONAL Right or wrong depend on the consequences  influence by outside factors Sub stage 1: Punishment-obedience orientation Main motive  to avoid punishment (How can I avoid punishment?) Sub stage 2: Personal reward orientation (Self interest orientation) Children obey  for the reward (What's in it for me?) DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Stage 2: CONVENTIONAL Must obey & follow norms/regulation  set by the society Children can accept other people ideas, intention & motives Sub stage 3: Good boy-nice girl orientation (Interpersonal accord & conformity – Social Norms) What is right  what is being praised or agreed by the authority Sub stage 4: Law and order orientation [Authority and social-order maintaining orientation] - Law and order morality what is right  what have been fixed by the authority, according to the rules conducted by the authority DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Stage 3: POST- CONVENTIONAL Adolescent understand the reasons behind the development of any rules and laws from social contract  compliance by all Sub stage 5: Social contract orientation Understand the reasons behind the development of any rules/laws Sub stage 6: Universal ethical principle orientation Labelling what is right or wrong is based on universal principle  formed based on respect towards everybody  regardless of religion or race International acknowledgement. DR. MM/FEM/UPM

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 $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 about $2,000, 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, having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife. DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Heinz Dilemma Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug for his wife? Why or why not? From a theoretical point of view, it is not important what the participant thinks that Heinz should do. Kohlberg's theory holds that the justification the participant offers is what is significant, the form of their response. DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Below are some of examples of possible arguments on the Heinz Dilemma Stage one (obedience): Heinz should not steal the medicine because he will consequently be put in prison which will mean he is a bad person. Or: Heinz should steal the medicine because it is only worth $200 and not how much the druggist wanted for it; Heinz had even offered to pay for it and was not stealing anything else. Stage two (self-interest): Heinz should steal the medicine because he will be much happier if he saves his wife, even if he will have to serve a prison sentence. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine because prison is an awful place, and he would probably languish over a jail cell more than his wife's death. Stage three (conformity): Heinz should steal the medicine because his wife expects it; he wants to be a good husband. Or: Heinz should not steal the drug because stealing is bad and he is not a criminal; he tried to do everything he could without breaking the law, you cannot blame him. DR. MM/FEM/UPM

Below are some of examples of possible arguments on the Heinz Dilemma Stage four (law-and-order): Heinz should not steal the medicine because the law prohibits stealing, making it illegal. Or: Heinz should steal the drug for his wife but also take the prescribed punishment for the crime as well as paying the druggist what he is owed. Criminals cannot just run around without regard for the law; actions have consequences. Stage five (human rights): Heinz should steal the medicine because everyone has a right to choose life, regardless of the law. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine because the scientist has a right to fair compensation. Even if his wife is sick, it does not make his actions right. Stage six (universal human ethics): Heinz should steal the medicine, because saving a human life is a more fundamental value than the property rights of another person. Or: Heinz should not steal the medicine, because others may need the medicine just as badly, and their lives are equally significant. DR. MM/FEM/UPM