Lawrence Kohlberg's moral educational model is based on work by Piaget. He studied the development of moral judgment in individuals older than the age in which Piaget stopped studying. Expanding on Piaget's work, Kohlberg believed our moral judgements moved up the scale as we grew older. However, he noted not all adults reach beyond level II.
His work is based on six identifiable states of moral development.
Level I: (Pre-conventional)
His work is based on six identifiable states of moral development.
Level I: (Pre-conventional)
- Stage 1: Affirm life
- Stage 2: Create new laws
- Each of the above stages are egocentric, focused on the individual. Generally this level pertains to children prior to starting formal schooling
- Stage 3: Obey laws, Contracts
- Stage 4: Follow family/group rules
- Each of the above stages are general intrapersonal and conforms to following laws and rules. Generally this level pertains to school age persons, and can be the final level for some adults.
- Stage 5: Obtain personal rewards
- Stage 6: Avoid personal punishment
- Each of the above stages are universal ethics showing a thought process of moral vs. legal rightness, and respect for universal principals. Many adults will reach level 5 with only a small percentage reaching level 6.
Strengths to using Kohlberg discussion:
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Limitations to using Kohlberg discussion:
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One of the pieces Kohlberg used when studying his subjects was the Heinz Dilemma. Below you will find a reenactment of the story with three choices. The choice you make will show what level of moral development you fit. This could be used in a classroom prior to actually having students study a dilemma and determine their moral reasoning.