1. EDU 330: Educational Psychology Daniel Moos, PhD
Morality Development
EDU 330: Educational Psychology
Daniel Moos, PhD

2. Example of a Moral Dilemma: Heinz and the Drug
“In Europe a woman was near death from cancer. One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2,000, 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 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.” The husband got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife. Should the husband have done that?” (Kohlberg, 1969, p. 376).
Would you change your answer if you knew that the druggist needs to charge $2,000 in order to afford medication for his dying wife?

3. Morality Development: Introduction (I)
Why consider moral development in education?
Moral issues embedded in curriculum (especially History)
75% of HS students admitted to cheating on tests (Bracey, 2015)
Cheating may be on the rise from ES to College; may lead to other immoral acts after school
Ultimately, beliefs about right and wrong influence behavior

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

5. Morality Development: Kohlberg (I)
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: Market Exchange OR
Instrumental Relativist
Moral reasoning based on reciprocity. An act is moral if a similar act occurs in return and/or satisfies one’s own needs

6. Morality Development: Kohlberg (II)
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
3: Interpersonal Harmony Or
Good boy-nice girl
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)
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

7. Morality Development: Kohlberg (III)
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

8. 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.

9. Morality Development: Exercise
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
Nobody’s doing anything anyway so I won’t be missing anything.
Stage 2: Market 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: Interpersonal Harmony
Conventional Ethics: Middle school to high school students

10. Kohlberg’s Theory: Criticisms
Acceleration of moral development through instruction is limited
Moral dilemmas are too removed from everyday social interactions & theory does not adequately address micromoral issues
Too much emphasis on moral reasoning and not enough on moral behavior
Research sample (white males) limits the generalizability of the findings

11. Application: Encouraging Moral Development
Recognize that younger children respond to moral conflicts differently from older children
Try to take perspectives of students, and stimulate perspective taking abilities
Develop an awareness of moral issues by discussing a variety of REAL and hypothetical moral dilemmas; use daily opportunities (should be embedded in content; NOT a separate “moral education period.”)
Ask “why” questions (explain why they believe so…)
Complicate the circumstances: Mention a factor that might complicate thinking (what if Kohlberg’s theory was personalized or if druggist needed to sell for 2,000 to save his wife?
Use personal examples that mean something to the students