KOHLBERG\'S COGNITIVE MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY PDF

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Kolhberg’s theory of moral development states that we progress through three levels of moral thinking that build on our cognitive development....

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KOHLBERG'S COGNITIVE MORAL DEVELOPMENT THEORY

Lawrence Kohlberg developed on the previous work of psychological feature theorizer Piaget to clarify the ethical development of children. Kohlberg divided moral development into 3 levels - Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional. Each level further gets divided into two stages. 1. PRECONVENTIONAL A child with this moral stage is externally controlled. He or she believes only what is told by the parents or teachers. They are yet to adopt certain conventions of the societies in the term of what is right or wrong. They tend to focus more on external consequences that come along with their actions.  Stage 1. Obedience & Punishment Orientation This stage focuses on the child’s need to adopt rules and avoid being punished.  Stage 2. Instrumental Purpose & Exchange Right behavior is outlined by regardless of the person's believes to be within their best interest or show restricted interest in the desire of others, solely to purpose whenever it might be any the individual’s interests. 2. CONVENTIONAL  Stage 3. Interpersonal Accord - Conformity - Mutual expectations Authority is internalized but not questioned, and reasoning is based on the norm of the group to which the person belongs. In this step, the behavior is driven by social approval.  Stage 4. System Maintenance - Upholding Duties, Laws The child is mindful of the broader rules of society resulting in judgments, concern, obeying rules in order to uphold the laws and avoid the guilt. 3. POSTCONVENTIONAL  Stage 5. Social Contract & Individual Rights Individual judgment is based on not only self-chosen principles but also individual rights and justice for the greater good. The individual becomes aware that rules and laws exist for the good of greater number of people, which may work against the interest of particular people.  Stage 6. Theoretical Stage Only People at this step develop their own set of moral principles which may or may not follow the law. So the principles apply to everyone, such as human rights, justice, and equality. The person who upholds and believes in this wholeheartedly has to be prepared to actively defend these principles, even if it means going against the rest of society in the process....