1. Stages of Moral Development
Introducing Kohlberg’s theory of moral development

2. Developing Through the Life Span Kolberg’s Theory of Moral Development Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Develeopment Chapter 4

3. Life between childhood and adulthood.
Adolescence
Life between childhood and adulthood.
Many psychologists once believed that our traits were set during childhood. Today psychologists believe that development is a lifelong process.
Adolescents’ ability to reason gives them a new level of social awareness:
Their own thinking.
What others are thinking.
What others are thinking about them.
How ideals can be reached. They criticize society, parents, and even themselves.
AP Photo/ Jeff Chiu

4. Brain Development
Until puberty, neurons increase their connections. However, at adolescence, selective pruning of the neurons begins. Unused neuronal connections are lost to make other pathways more efficient.
During adolescence, neurons in the frontal cortex grow myelin, which speeds up nerve conduction. The frontal cortex lags behind the limbic system’s development. Hormonal surges and the limbic system may explain occasional teen impulsiveness

5. Morality
As our thinking matures, so does our behavior in that we become less selfish and more caring. People who engage in doing the right thing develop empathy for others and the self-discipline to resist their own impulses.

6. Kohlberg 3 Basic Levels of Moral Thinking
Preconventional Morality: Before age 9, children show morality to avoid punishment or gain reward.
Conventional Morality: By early adolescence, social rules and laws are upheld for their own sake.
Postconventional Morality: Affirms people’s agreed-upon rights or follows personally perceived ethical principles.
Preconventional (preadolescence) birth -9 years
Behavior is based on physical consequences of behavior obedience vs. punishment
Conventional (adolescence) Behavior is about pleasing others and, in later adolescence, becoming a good citizen
Research shows that many people never progress past the conventional level
Standards of right vs. wrong
Individual vs. social conventions
Theory does not take cultural differences into account
Theory is considered by some to be sexist in that girls often score lower on tests of morality
Postconventional 13+
Post moral standards- Emphasis is on abstract principles such as justice, equality, and liberty
Individual needs vs. need to maintain persona consciousness and social behavior

7. Activity
In Europe, a woman was near death from a very bad disease, a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was from a radium that a druggist in the same town has recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging 10 times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged $2000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could get together only about $ He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. Bt the druggist said, “no, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” Heinz got desperate and broke into the druggist’s store to steal the drug for his wife.
What should Heinz have done and why?
Ask them to state what stage of moral development they are in based on their answer

8. Activity Preconventional Morality
1.  Avoids punishment—“Heinz’s father-in-law might make big trouble for him if he let his wife die.”
2.  Gains rewards—“Heinz will have someone to fix fine dinners for him if his wife lives.”
What should Heinz have done and why?
Ask them to state what stage of moral development they are in based on their answer

9. Activity Conventional Morality
3.  Gains approval/avoids disapproval—“What would people think of Heinz if he lets his wife die?”
4.  Does duty to support society/avoids dishonor or guilt—“Heinz must live up to his marriage vow of protecting his wife.”
What should Heinz have done and why?
Ask them to state what stage of moral development they are in based on their answer

10. Activity Postconventional Morality
5.  Affirms agreed-upon rights—“Everyone agrees that people have the right to live.”
6.  Abstract, autonomous moral principle—“Saving a life takes precedence over everything else, including the law.”
What should Heinz have done and why?
Ask them to state what stage of moral development they are in based on their answer