Kohlberg's stages of Moral

Development
Lawrence Kohlberg
(October 25, 1927 January 19, 1987)
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Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Chicago and
at the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University
Lawrence Kohlberg (1958) agreed with Piaget's (1932) theory of moral
development in principle but wanted to develop his ideas further.
He used Piagets story-telling technique to tell people stories involving moral
dilemmas. In each case he presented a choice to be considered for example between the
rights of some authority and the needs of some deserving individual who is being unfairly
treated.
he used moral dillemas (Heinz) to see the children's reasoning
his study has three levels with six stages that concerned with
justice
what's important is not the reasoning itself but how will you justify
it.
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Lawrence Kohlberg Moral
Development
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The Heinz dilemma:
A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There
was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of
radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The
drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what
the drug cost him to produce. He paid $200 for the radium and charged
$2,000 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 only get
together about $1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist
that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later.
But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make
money from it." So Heinz got desperate and broke into the man's store to
steal the drug for his wife.
Should Heinz have broken into the store to steal the drug for his
wife? Why or why not?
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Level 1: Pre-Conventional Morality
Stage 1
Stage one (punishment & obedience):
Heinz should not steal the drug
He will be put in prison
Which means hes a bad person and he commited a crime.
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
it is only worth $200
Heinz had even offered to pay but the scientist refused it & her wouldnt steal anything
else.
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Level 1: Pre-Conventional Morality
Stage 2
Stage two (reward & self-interest):
Heinz should not steal the drug
Prison is awful; being in a jail cell is worse than his wife's death.
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
he will be much happier if he will enable to save his wife's life.
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Level 2: Conventional Morality
Stage 3
Stage three (conformity good-boy/nice girl ):
Stealing is bad & it will make him a criminal
He tried without breaking the law, you cant blame him.
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
His wife expects it;
He wants to be a good husband.

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Level 2: Conventional Morality
Stage 4
Stage four (law-and-order):
Heinz should not steal the drug
the law prohibits stealing its unlawful
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
He should take full responsibility and pay for the crime he commited.
Actions have their consequences.
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Level 3: Post- Conventional Morality
Stage 5
Stage five (human rights):
Heinz should not steal the drug
The scientist has a right to fair compensation. and has the right to refuse payment if
not complete.
His wifes illness it does not make his actions right.
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
To save life is more important than follwing laws.
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Level 3: Post- Conventional Morality
Stage 6
Stage six (universal human ethics):
Heinz should not steal the drug
Others may need the drug just as badly & their lives are equally in danger at that time
Or:
Heinz should steal the drug
Each person has the same right. it is just a matter of first come first serve basis.