Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory

Harvard Center for Moral Education Harvard Center for Moral Education 20 years of using interviews to investigate the nature of moral thought, by classifying interview responses to a story. The interviewee answers a series of questions about the moral dilemma 20 years of using interviews to investigate the nature of moral thought, by classifying interview responses to a story. The interviewee answers a series of questions about the moral dilemma From these answers Kohlberg hypothesizes three level of moral development From these answers Kohlberg hypothesizes three level of moral development

The Story of Heinz 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. 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." 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. 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."

Kohlberg used this moral dilemma to question various interviewees to determine their moral thought pattern. He would follow the story with, “Should Heinz steal the drug?” Kohlberg used this moral dilemma to question various interviewees to determine their moral thought pattern. He would follow the story with, “Should Heinz steal the drug?”

What he was looking for Kohlberg did not care about the yes or no answer about stealing the drug, but rather the explanation behind the answer Kohlberg did not care about the yes or no answer about stealing the drug, but rather the explanation behind the answer

Kohlberg then broke down the answers and developed the three stages of moral development: Kohlberg then broke down the answers and developed the three stages of moral development: –Preconvention –Conventional –Post conventional

Preconventional Stage Level 1.Obedience and punishment orientation Level 1.Obedience and punishment orientation –Children obey because adults tell them to obey. People base their moral decision on fear of punishment Level 2. Self–interest orientation Level 2. Self–interest orientation –Individuals pursue their own interests and expect others to do the same – what is right involves equal exchange

Conventional Stage Level 3. Mutual interpersonal expectations and conformity Level 3. Mutual interpersonal expectations and conformity –Individuals value trust, caring, and loyalty to others as a basis for moral judgments- –Want to live up to expectations

Level 4 Social system morality Level 4 Social system morality –Moral judgments based on social law –The importance of doing one’s duty –Maintaining the fabric of society

Postconventional Stage Level 5.Social contract and Individual rights Level 5.Social contract and Individual rights –Individuals reason that values, rights and principles may transcend the law – difference between moral and legal right Level 6.Universal ethical principles Level 6.Universal ethical principles –Individual principles of conscience and justice