Education for Moral Development: Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development and Integrative Education CS480 Computer Science Seminar Fall, 2002

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Questions Can education result in moral behavior? If so, are there stages one moves through in developing moral precepts (principles that guide moral behavior), like acquiring complex ideas in mathematics? Is there a relationship between cognitive development and moral development? If the answer to the above questions is “yes”, what kind of education can bring about moral maturity? The following discussion is based on Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development and Integrative Education, by G. Baxter and C. Rarick, “Ethical Issues in business”, p37-44, Boyd & Fraser 1991

Kohlberg’s Approach to Answer the Questions Kohlberg sought to determine whether there are universal stages in the development of moral judgments. He presented stories similar to the following to children and adults of various ages and cultural backgrounds. A lady is dying of illness and there is one drug that could cure her. The medicine costs $200 to make by a man who invented it but the man wants to sell the medicine for $2,000. The lady’s husband tried but failed to borrow the much needed $2,000 so he asked the man to sell the medicine for less. The man refuseed and the husband of the sick lady stole the medicine. Is the husband’s behavior justified? Is it right or wrong for him to do it? Is the man wrong? By analyzing questions and answers to a series of stories of this type (each portraying a moral dilemma) kohlberg proposed six development stages of moral judgment grouped into three broad levels.

Level I: pre-conventional morality Stage 1: punishment orientation --- obeys rules to avoid punishment. Stage 2: reward orientation --- conforms to obtain reward, to have favors returned. Example answers: –If you let your wife die, you’ll get in trouble (approve). –If you steal the drug and get caught, you’ll be sent to jail (disapprove). –The husband’s action is judged from right or wrong on the basis of punishment --- stage 1; children who are 7 years old or younger are predominantly at this level.

Level II: conventional morality Stage 3: good-boy/girl orientation --- conform to avoid disapproval of others. Stage 4: authority orientation --- upholds laws and social rules to avoid censure of authorities and feelings of guilt about “not doing one’s duty”. By age 13, a majority of the moral dilemmas are resolved at level II --- actions are evaluated in terms of maintaining a good image in the eyes of other people. In stage 3, one seeks approval by being “nice”; in stage 4, one is concerned with “doing one’s duty”, showing respect for authority, and conforming to social order in which one is raised.

Level III: post-conventional morality Stage 5: social-contract orientation --- actions guided by principles commonly agreed on as essential to the public welfare; principles upheld to retain respect of peers and thus self-respect. Stage 6: ethical principle orientation --- actions guided by self-chosen ethical principles that usually value justice, dignity, and equality; principles upheld to avoid self- condemnation. Kohlberg observed that many individuals never progress beyond level II. He sees the stages of moral development as closed tied to stages of (Piaget’s) cognitive development. To reach level III, one must be capable of formulating abstract ethical principles and upholding them to avoid self-condemnation. According to Kohlberg, less than 10% of his subjects over age 16 show the kind of “clear-principled”.

How is stage-6 thinking exemplified Judgment of the husband’s behavior –By the law of society, he was wrong, –But by the law of nature or of God the druggist was wrong and the husband was justified; human life is above-financial gain. –Regardless who was dying, if it was a total stranger, human being has a duty to save him from dying. Progressing from one stage to the next involves internal reorganization rather than a simple acquisition of the moral concepts prevalent in their culture.

Importance of integration: well designed core of general education Integrate moral reasoning and moral behavior. Consider long-term consequences of one’s actions (rather than immediate gain) and to integrate one’s behavior accordingly. Put oneself in someone else’s position, that is, to integrate one’s own understandings, to motivate oneself to help. The integrated GE curriculum increase cognitive skills, which in turn increase in dealing with principles. One can compare and contrast principles, pick and choose among ethical principles that supercede any laws or social agreements.

Morality is a maturation process Morality or ethics cannot be taught directly and there is limited benefit in from instructing students in what is right and wrong. The best way for moral development is to put oneself in different scenarios and challenge oneself by thinking critically the situation. So in your presentation, use different scenarios and posing interesting, controversial or conflicting questions (particularly those that are related to recent events.)