at what stage of life would a person begin to be studied by a gerontologist?

Verywell / Bailey Mariner

Kohlberg'south theory of moral development is a theory that focuses on how children develop morality and moral reasoning. Kohlberg'south theory suggests that moral development occurs in a series of half-dozen stages. The theory also suggests that moral logic is primarily focused on seeking and maintaining justice.

What Is Moral Evolution?

How exercise people develop morality? This question has fascinated parents, religious leaders, and philosophers for ages, merely moral evolution has also become a hot-button issue in psychology and educational activity. Exercise parental or societal influences play a greater role in moral development? Do all kids develop morality in similar means?

American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed one of the best-known theories exploring some of these basic questions. His work modified and expanded upon Jean Piaget's previous work but was more than centered on explaining how children develop moral reasoning.

How did the two theories differ? Piaget described a 2-stage process of moral development. Kohlberg extended Piaget's theory, proposing that moral development is a continual procedure that occurs throughout the lifespan. His theory outlines six stages of moral development inside three different levels.

In recent years, Kohlberg's theory has been criticized as being Western-axial with a bias toward men (he primarily used male inquiry subjects) and with having a narrow worldview based on upper-middle-course value systems and perspectives.

How Kohlberg Developed His Theory

Kohlberg based his theory on a series of moral dilemmas presented to his report subjects. Participants were too interviewed to decide the reasoning behind their judgments in each scenario.

One example was "Heinz Steals the Drug." In this scenario, a woman has cancer and her doctors believe only one drug might relieve her. This drug had been discovered by a local pharmacist and he was able to make information technology for $200 per dose and sell it for $ii,000 per dose. The woman's husband, Heinz, could just raise $one,000 to buy the drug.

He tried to negotiate with the chemist for a lower toll or to be extended credit to pay for it over fourth dimension. Simply the pharmacist refused to sell information technology for any less or to have fractional payments. Rebuffed, Heinz instead bankrupt into the pharmacy and stole the drug to save his wife. Kohlberg asked, "Should the husband take washed that?"

Kohlberg was not interested so much in the reply to whether Heinz was wrong or right but in the reasoning for each participant'south conclusion. He then classified their reasoning into the stages of his theory of moral evolution.

Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg's theory is broken down into 3 primary levels. At each level of moral development, there are ii stages. Similar to how Piaget believed that non all people reach the highest levels of cognitive evolution, Kohlberg believed not anybody progresses to the highest stages of moral development.

Level ane. Preconventional Morality

Preconventional morality is the primeval menstruum of moral development. It lasts until around the historic period of 9. At this age, children's decisions are primarily shaped by the expectations of adults and the consequences for breaking the rules. In that location are two stages within this level:

• Stage 1 (Obedience and Punishment): The primeval stages of moral development, obedience and punishment are especially common in young children, merely adults are besides capable of expressing this type of reasoning. According to Kohlberg, people at this stage encounter rules as stock-still and absolute. Obeying the rules is important considering information technology is a mode to avoid punishment.
• Phase 2 (Individualism and Substitution): At the individualism and exchange stage of moral development, children account for individual points of view and judge actions based on how they serve individual needs. In the Heinz dilemma, children argued that the best grade of action was the pick that best served Heinz's needs. Reciprocity is possible at this bespeak in moral development, but but if it serves 1'due south own interests.

Level 2. Conventional Morality

The next period of moral evolution is marked by the acceptance of social rules regarding what is proficient and moral. During this fourth dimension, adolescents and adults internalize the moral standards they accept learned from their function models and from order.

This menstruation also focuses on the acceptance of authority and conforming to the norms of the group. There are two stages at this level of morality:

• Phase 3 (Developing Adept Interpersonal Relationships): Often referred to as the "good boy-skilful daughter" orientation, this stage of the interpersonal human relationship of moral evolution is focused on living up to social expectations and roles. In that location is an emphasis on conformity, being "nice," and consideration of how choices influence relationships.
• Stage 4 (Maintaining Social Order): This stage is focused on ensuring that social order is maintained. At this stage of moral development, people begin to consider guild as a whole when making judgments. The focus is on maintaining law and gild past following the rules, doing one's duty, and respecting authority.

Level 3. Postconventional Morality

At this level of moral evolution, people develop an understanding of abstruse principles of morality. The two stages at this level are:

• Stage 5 (Social Contract and Individual Rights): The ideas of a social contract and individual rights cause people in the next stage to begin to business relationship for the differing values, opinions, and beliefs of other people. Rules of law are important for maintaining a gild, but members of the guild should concur upon these standards.
• Stage six (Universal Principles): Kohlberg's concluding level of moral reasoning is based on universal upstanding principles and abstract reasoning. At this phase, people follow these internalized principles of justice, even if they disharmonize with laws and rules.

Kohlberg believed that only a relatively small pct of people ever reach the mail service-conventional stages (around ten to 15%). One assay found that while stages 1 to iv could be seen every bit universal in populations throughout the world, the fifth and 6th stages were extremely rare in all populations.

Criticisms

Kohlberg's theory played an of import office in the development of moral psychology. While the theory has been highly influential, aspects of the theory have been critiqued for a number of reasons:

• Moral reasoning does not equal moral behavior: Kohlberg's theory is concerned with moral thinking, but in that location is a big difference between knowing what we ought to practice versus our actual actions. Moral reasoning, therefore, may not lead to moral behavior.
• Overemphasizes justice: Critics have pointed out that Kohlberg's theory of moral development overemphasizes the concept of justice when making moral choices. Factors such every bit compassion, caring, and other interpersonal feelings may play an important role in moral reasoning.
• Cultural bias: Individualist cultures emphasize personal rights, while collectivist cultures stress the importance of society and community. Eastern, collectivist cultures may accept different moral outlooks that Kohlberg's theory does not take into business relationship.
• Historic period bias: Almost of his subjects were children under the age of 16 who plain had no experience with wedlock. The Heinz dilemma may have been too abstruse for these children to empathize, and a scenario more applicable to their everyday concerns might have led to dissimilar results.
• Gender bias: Kohlberg's critics, including Carol Gilligan, take suggested that Kohlberg'due south theory was gender-biased since all of the subjects in his sample were male person. Kohlberg believed that women tended to remain at the 3rd level of moral development considering they place a stronger emphasis on things such as social relationships and the welfare of others.

Gilligan instead suggested that Kohlberg's theory overemphasizes concepts such as justice and does not adequately address moral reasoning founded on the principles and ethics of caring and business for others.

A Give-and-take From Verywell

While Kohlberg's theory of moral development has been criticized, the theory played an important role in the emergence of the field of moral psychology. Researchers proceed to explore how moral reasoning develops and changes through life likewise equally the universality of these stages. Agreement these stages offers helpful insights into the ways that both children and adults brand moral choices and how moral thinking may influence decisions and behaviors.

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Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/kohlbergs-theory-of-moral-development-2795071

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