Lecture

Loptson: z“To affirm that blacks tend to be better basketball players than non- blacks, and that this is not primarily a matter of socialization or culture, is not racist. It is not racist in part because it is true” (p. 155) zTeo: It may not be racist. It may be true - it may be untrue. zThe logical problem zDistributions of “races” zMixed race zAmericacentrism zSubculture

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development zLawrence Kohlberg stressed that moral development is based primarily on moral reasoning and unfolds in stages. zCognitive-developmental theory: longitudinal research studied children (American boys) from age 10/13/16 over 20 years. zKohlberg used a unique interview in which participants are presented with a series of stories in which characters face moral dilemmas.

Heinz Dilemma zIn 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. zShould Heinz steal the drug? Why or why not?

Judy Dilemma zJudy was a twelve-year-old girl. Her mother promised her that she could go to a special rock concert coming to their town if she saved up from baby-sitting and lunch money to buy a ticket to the concert. She managed to save up the fifteen dollars the ticket cost plus another five dollars. But then her mother changed her mind and told Judy that she had to spend the money on new clothes for school. Judy was disappointed and decided to go to the concert anyway. She bought a ticket and told her mother that she had only been able to save five dollars. That Saturday she went to the performance and told her mother that she was spending the day with a friend. A week passed without her mother finding out. Judy then told her older sister, Louise, that she had gone to the performance and had lied to her mother about it. Louise wonders whether to tell their mother what Judy did. zShould Louise, the older sister, tell their mother that Judy lied about the money or should she keep quiet? Why or why not?

Kohlberg: A Piagetian zKohlberg was actually less interested in the subject's decision (that is, what Heinz should have done) than in the underlying rationale, or "thought structures," that the subject used to justify his decision. zMoral growth progresses through an invariant sequence. zKohlberg argued that each stage derives form the previous stage, incorporates and transforms that stage, and prepares for the next change. zKohlberg believed that moral stages are universal.

Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Development zLevel 1: Preconventional Level yStage 1: Heteronomous Morality yStage 2: Individualism, Purpose, and Exchange zLevel 2: Conventional Level yStage 3: Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships, and Interpersonal Conformity yStage 4: Social System Morality zLevel 3: Postconventional Level yStage 5: Social Contract or Utility and Individual Rights yStage 6: Universal Ethical Principles

Results zMoral reasoning developed very gradually, with use of preconventional reasoning (Stages 1 and 2) declining sharply in adolescence--the same period in which conventional reasoning (Stages 3 and 4) is on the rise. zConventional reasoning remained the dominant form of moral expression in young adulthood with very few subjects ever moving beyond it to postconventional morality (Stage 5). zStage 3 or 4 is the end of the developmental journey for most individuals worldwide.

Moral Thought and Moral Behavior zKohlberg’s theory has been criticized for placing too much emphasis on moral thought and not enough emphasis on moral behavior. zMoral reasons can sometimes be a shelter for immoral behavior. zCheaters and thieves may know what is right yet still do what is wrong.

Culture and Moral Development zKohlberg’s theory has been criticized for being culturally biased. zMoral reasoning is more culture-specific than Kohlberg envisioned. zMany psychological studies of adolescence have emerged in the context of Western industrialized society, with the practical needs and social norms of this culture dominating thinking about all adolescents.

Gender and the Care Perspective zKohlberg’s theory is a justice perspective that focuses on the rights of the individual; individuals stand alone and independently make moral decisions. zThe care perspective is a moral perspective that views people in terms of their connectedness with others and emphasizes interpersonal communication, relationships with others, and concern for others.

Gender and the Care Perspective (con’t) zCarol Gilligan believed Kohlberg greatly under-played the care perspective in moral development, due to being male, using males for his research, and basing his theory on male responses. zGilligan’s research found that girls interpret moral dilemmas in terms of human relationships. zOther research has found that the gender differences in moral reasoning are not existent.