KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

STAGE ONE: PUNISHMENT-AVOIDANCE AND OBEDIENCE

• When we are young, we dont quite have a good sense of morality
• We base our decisions through a higher power than us
• The reason we follow their rules so we wont get in trouble
• Naturally we do not like to be punished

STAGE 2: INDIVIDUALISM AND EXCHANGE

• At this point of your life you come to realize that there are many POV in life
• You begin to know that your authority's view might be different than others
• Here you get a sense of the base of moral
• Stage 1 and 2 are typically for the people of age 9 and below

STAGE 3: GOOD INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

• The last 2 stages were physical consequences of your actions
• Now stages 3 and 4 are about learning naturally about moral standards
• given to us by adults
• At this stage we have a crave sense of acceptance
• We will do anything or not do something to have approval of others

STAGE 4: MAINTAINING SOCIAL ORDER

• This is a bit different than Stage 3
• Here we are aware of rules set by our very own society
• We stress to uphold the law so we wont get a sense of guilt
• Avoiding guilt and judge is why we follow these rules
• Stages 3 and 4 are usually found in high school students to even adults

STAGE 5: SOCIAL CONTRACT/INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

• Now the individual has the knowledge to know that rules are set for the greater #
• Not all rules fit everyone perfectly
• There will have to be times when you have yo break the laws for your emergency
• This is usually found in teens and 10-15% of adults

STAGE 6: UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE

• This human has created his own set of principles disregarding society's
• The person would do anything to defend his belief on what is right
• This principle applies to everyone
• Doesnt mind that he/she has to pay for the consequences of the law
• Kohlberg knew only a few people reached this stage

EXAMPLES

• Stage 1: simply doing my chores or else my mom would be dissapointed
• Stage 2: realized this at ayoung age when my parents agrued, ive heard two sides of a story
• Stage 3: in elementary school, i tried buying cool shoes to wear to feel accepted
• Stage 4: had to tuck in my shirt in order for the teacher not to point me out infront of the class (guilt)
• Stage 5: stole a big water bottle from a fancy restaurant in mexico and gave it to a guy that asked

Stage 6: hasn't happened to me but I have learned it many times by talking about MLK and segregation during his time