...The moral development of a person’s character will have a major impact on society as a whole. If we fail to show children moral responsibility they in turn will lack the moral and ethical sense of values. The critical importance of the early years remains crucial to all later development. With all the violence and unsuitable language in film, television, and music today’s society poses an even larger threat on children. Moral functioning involves self-esteem, self-control, and altruistic behavior. It seems as if children are developing at a faster rate than previous generations. If we fail to instill morals than we may fail to produce children that have the conscience to decide what is right from what is wrong. If children grow up lacking moral judgment it will have an effect not just on them but on society. Moral behavior comes from an interest in and concern for other people. If there is an absence of desire to interact and develop relationships in society it may be viewed as lacking any moral development. There are two theorists that provided several stages of moral development. The first theorist is Lawrence Kohlberg. Kohlberg came up with three levels of moral reasoning, Premoral, Convention, and Principled. Kohlberg collected data by presenting boys with moral dilemmas and asking them to evaluate the situation that is presented to them. The second theorist is Carol Gilligan. Gilligan believed that Kohlberg’s study was flawed because he used mostly boys. Gilligan also believed...
Words: 589 - Pages: 3
...Moral Development Many theorists have developed theories to understand and define the ability of people to reason morally. Moral reasoning is defined as the thinking process where the objective is to determine whether an idea is right or wrong and involves the formation of values on which someone bases their decisions. Theorists have different views on moral reasoning and the factors that contribute to an individual’s level of reasoning capabilities. Lawrence Kohlberg and Carol Gilligan developed cognitive theories to explain moral reasoning in a series of stages. The movie John Q, raises the question of what is considered morally right and what is wrong and by whose perspective. The characters in the movie can be classified into either Kohlberg’s or Gilligan’s theories of reasoning. Theorist Lawrence Kohlberg (1973) had a qualitative perspective of moral development. His theory breaks development into three levels, each of which is divided further into two stages. The levels consist of: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. These can be loosely correlated with age. He theorized that moral growth begins at the beginning of life and continues until the day one dies. He believed that people proceed through each stage of moral development consecutively without skipping or going back to a previous stage. Level One, the Pre-Conventional level, is the level of moral reasoning based solely on a person’s own needs. The person is ego-centric and does not...
Words: 4041 - Pages: 17
...of moral development is based upon the principles of cognitive development proposed by Piaget. This suggests behaviour is driven by cognitive processing | 1 | Kohlberg’s investigative methods were more systematic than Piaget and therefore the explanation may have greater objectivity. | 2 | Similar to Piaget, Kohlberg suggests that moral development occurs in invariant stages which are culturally universal. | 2 | Snarey’s meta-analysis, which covered both collectivist and individualist cultures, supported the idea that these stages are universal in all cultures. | | | 3 | However, other research has suggested that the theory is culturally biased and Eurocentric. | | | 4 | Kohlberg takes a social constructivist approach to moral development, which means behaviour is affected by interaction This means that ‘good’ development can be promoted and ‘bad’ development can be addressed with therapy. | 3 | Kohlberg suggested that the process is driven by a gradual maturation of thinking skills which enable the individual to take different perspectives. | 5 | Whereas Piaget’s theory suggests that cognitive development occurs until about 12, Kohlberg’s theory of moral development suggests that it continues into adulthood. | 4 | Kohlberg also stated that development necessitates environmental and social interaction. | 6 | Therefore, Kohlberg is incorporating the theories of both Piaget and Vygotsky into the theory of moral development. | 5 | Kohlberg proposed that moral development...
Words: 615 - Pages: 3
...Moral Development and the Justice System As law enforcement officials, we need to understand the moral development of not only those we come in contact with in our job, but also of ourselves. Why? The answer is, as police officers; we may be confronted with hundreds of issues about moral reasoning each day. These may range from the decision a suspect makes about whether to resist arrest to whether or not we issue a speeding ticket to a friend. Every day, citizens, as well as officers, make hundreds of decisions that involve moral reasoning. It is imperative as officers of the law that we understand and recognize the reasons behind the decisions of other as well as ourselves. To change our behavior and appreciate others behavior we must be aware of why we as humans make the decisions we make. A psychologist named Lawrence Kohlberg identified three levels of moral development or reasoning. The first level is pre-conventional morality, and it contains two stages. At the pre-conventional level, one does not have a personal code of morality. Instead, our moral code is formed by the standards of adults in our environment and the consequences of adhering to or breaking their rules. This stage is prevalent in children, but can be seen even in older youth and in some cases, adults. The two stages in Level one are: Obedience and Punishment Orientation and Individualism and Exchange. In the first stage an individual is good to avoid being punished. In the second stage, the person recognizes...
Words: 1611 - Pages: 7
...Joshua Westcott Kohlberg’s Moral Development April 30, 2012 As children’s cognitive abilities mature and expand, so does their ability to reason about moral issues. If we can begin to understand the ways children reason about moral issues, it might help parents and therapists better attune themselves to each child, so as to help each child develop in a positive direction. By attuning to children, the parent or therapist will be better equipped to reason with children at ‘their’ level of development; otherwise, what the adult is trying to communicate will get lost in translation. If we can learn to speak the child’s language, than we can help each child use his or her ‘logic/reasoning’ to effect change in his or her world. Who are the major theorists in the area of moral development? A few of the major theorists in the field of moral development are John Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel, and Carol Gilligan. Gilligan is a brilliant feminist psychologist who is best known for her 1982 work, “In a Different Voice” (see http://www.amazon.com/In-Different-Voice-Psychological-Development/dp/0674445449/ref=lp_B000APQF3Q_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335926229&sr=1-1). Turiel is best known for developing his ‘domain theory’, which is discussed in his exceptional work, “The Development of Social Knowledge: Morality and Convention” (see http://www.amazon.com/The-Development-Social-Knowledge-Convention/dp/0521273056/ref=lp_B001HD1YF4_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1335926449&sr=1-2)...
Words: 6264 - Pages: 26
...Brooke Armstrong M. Lakin - Child Development Period 2 October 7, 2015 Moral Development Moral development is the growth of how one may incorporate wise decision making, and a knowledge of right from wrong. This is one of the most important parts of developing because if you don’t know which decision is right or wrong, good or bad, you may make the wrong decision ending up with serious consequences. Also, moral development encompasses more than knowing right from wrong. It is also about showing others respect and treating them how you want to be treated. A big part of parenting is teaching respect and good decision making because they are key skills in maturing and learning how to live in the real world through the developing years. A psychologist of the name Lawrence Kohlberg formed ideas and stages of moral development according to the age of a child as they are growing. There are three stages; preconventional morality, conventional morality, and postconventional morality. Preconventional is centered around the ages of nine years old and up. This stage states that a child makes their decision based on rewards and punishment, and they also realize that adults have different rules and viewpoints. An example of preconventional morality is a child deciding whether or not to leave their timeout chair based on the punishment that would follow their choice of action. This is an example of preconventional morality because the child thought ahead about what the punishment will...
Words: 921 - Pages: 4
...Moral Development in Management Hai Dao MGMT-8010-1: Management in Human and Societal Development Dr. Donna Brown Walden University June 29th 2014 Moral Development in Management Today organizations face great challenges in managing their workforces effectively. With the trend of globalization in business, managers are required to update their knowledge and education on how to make the most use of organizational resources, including human and materials. However, humans are probably the most important resources of any organization. They are the ones to operate equipments; handle materials; and produce output. They are also the ones to provide customer service and receive feedback that can be useful for the organization. With that said, management has evolved over the years to adapt to the human development within organizations. Many theories have been applied to help managers manage their workforce more effectively. One of the theories that will be addressed in this paper is Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, because one believes that moral development of people is related the success of the organization. Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development The main concept of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is that it “extended Piaget’s theory, proposing that moral development is a continual process that occurs throughout the lifespan” (Cherry, n.d.). Indeed, learning never ends, especially when people are trying to adapt to the changing environment of the workforce...
Words: 1510 - Pages: 7
...Kohlberg's Moral Development Crystal Bombay, Ruth A .Buissereth, Steven Odemns, Cherish Powell, and Steven Soranno October 26, 2015 Shawn Davis Kohlberg's Moral Development Today’s discussion will evaluate Kohlberg’s theory on moral development and also Carol Gilligan research on moral reasoning. The topic will first summarize the theory of moral development by psychology’s pioneer Lawrence Kohlberg. The discussion will also have a compelling view of three approaches by Kohlberg to help individuals understand moral development. The topic will also give an explanation of three of limitations of the Kohlberg’s theory and how they work in individual’s lives. The discussion will then give insight on Carol Gilligan and her research on gender differences with moral development and reasoning. This topic will bring delightful stimulations to the mind as there is an in-depth look gender differences in the approach of moral development and reasoning. Kohlberg’s theory Lawrence Kohlberg was a psychologist that extended Jean Piaget's theories. Kohlberg felt that moral development was a process that continues throughout an individual's lifespan. According to Reimer (1977), "Piaget's research dealt mostly with younger children. Kohlberg adopted Piaget's methodology and applied it to older children and adolescents" (p. 61). Kohlberg believed that there were six stages to moral development, within these stages they were classified into three different levels. The three...
Words: 1798 - Pages: 8
...Running Head: Cognitive And Moral Child Development Cognitive And Moral Child Development Case Study Tanya Coleman Psy 200A Teaching and Learning Does a child’s biological factors influence their behavior? My case study is about an 8.6 year old boy who faces biological, social, and emotional issues at the early stages of his cognitive and moral development. The observation takes place at Tyrell’s school. I am going to apply Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological approach, and Kohlberg’s theory of moral development as it applies to my case study. Besides, I will give an insight of the stages that Tyrell has undergone thus far. In Tyrell’s case environmental issues played a major part in his early development. Tyrell is an African American boy that is 8.6 years old in the 2nd grade. The school he attends is P.S. 36 in Manhattan. He is asthmatic. Tyrell is currently being raised by his mother. His father is incarcerated for assault and robbery. Tyrell recently lived with his grandmother. He is currently living in a shelter with his mother. Tyrell attended the same school since pre-k. He has seen a lot of his friends go on to the 3rd grade while he remains in 2nd grade. Tyrell has a displacement issue at home because he lives in a shelter. Tyrell likes basketball. Tyrell aspires to be a basketball...
Words: 1326 - Pages: 6
...Kohlberg’s Moral Development Linda Jones University of Phoenix Moral development over an individual’s lifespan remains a major topic of interest for psychologists. There are many theories that have been developed over time but one of the most well-known was developed by Lawrence Kohlberg. Kohlberg expanded the work of Jean Piaget and modified it to explain moral reasoning and how it develops. While Piaget described a process of moral development that occurred in only two stages, Kohlberg’s theory grew to include six stages within three different levels. Kohlberg proposed three these six stages and three levels that moral reasoning was a process that continued through an individual’s life. Level 1 of Kohlberg’s Moral Development is Preconventional Morality. It contains two stages. The first stage is Obedience and Punishment. This marks the earliest formation of moral development and is typically seen in young children though adults are also able to express this reasoning. In the first stage the individual sees rules as unchanging and absolute. Obeying the rules becomes a top priority because it is the only way to not be punished (Brans & Blu, 1998). The second stage of Level 1 is called Individualism and Exchange. Children begin to account for their own points of view. They also begin to judge actions based on intent as well as how the action serves the individual (Graham, et al., 2011). Reciprocity begins to be an option but only if the individual’s needs are also...
Words: 1841 - Pages: 8
...Kohlberg Theory on Moral Development Team Peace: Belinda Cooper, Dawn Lunsford, and Laverne Phillips PSY 600 August 24, 2015 Dr. Ellingford Introduction Summary of Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory Three Contributions of Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Three Limitations of Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development Although Kohlberg is considered an authority on the human development of morals, his theory is considered limited by other reputable psychologists. Kohlberg’s theory states there are six stages to the development of morals and those six levels are divided into three levels: the pre-conventional stages of moral development, the conventional stage of moral development, and the post-conventional stage of moral development. Other psychologists have claimed that there are no specific stages to the development of morals. Psychologists believe that because people make moral decisions at one age in their life and tend to make the same moral decision later in their life that moral judgment does not develop in stages like Kohlberg theorized. “With respect to stages, we recognize that age-related trends exist in the types of moral judgments people make, and we acknowledge that cognitive development plays a role in determining them. However, because the evidence suggests that different aspects of moral cognition may change in different ways, that people do not relinquish their old ways of thinking when...
Words: 853 - Pages: 4
...Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development Kohlberg’s “Stages of Moral Development” is a very broad explanation of his take on moral development of people through different stages of their lives. The developmental road map is laid out and grouped a couple different ways. It is a three tier, six stage, moral development scale that groups certain rationales together based upon mental ways of thinking during maturation. Level one is titled “Preconventional Morality” and the stages contained within it are Stage I “Obedience and Punishment” and Stage II “Individualism and Exchange”. This level, according to Kohlberg, is the time in which children are learning to think for themselves and make decisions based upon how actions will benefit them and whether those actions will result in a punishment. I interpret this as the beginning stages of learning right from wrong and how to not get busted when you decide that you don’t want to do what is right. Level two is titled “Conventional Morality” and it’s stages are Stage III “Good Interpersonal Relationships” and Stage IV “Maintaining the Social Order”. The general premise of this level is that development has reached a point where selfishness and self-serving decisions are grounded by a general idea of what is considered to be wrong and what punishment or repercussion will result from doing an action. Level three is titled “Postconventional Morality” and it’s stages are Stage 5 “Social Contract and Individual Rights” and Stage...
Words: 539 - Pages: 3
...Siddhartha's Journey and Kohlberg’s Moral Development "Morality is the ability to see an issue from points of view other than just your own." In Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha, Siddhartha’s voyage to find his Self closely follows Lawrence Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Development by the different stages Siddhartha experiences throughout his journey. Kohlberg’s theory is split into three levels each with two stages. The first level is Pre-conventional morality with stage one: Obedience and punishment orientation, and stage two: Instrumental Orientation. Which basically means that children believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers, but also express the individual's belief that is interested in their own interest. This...
Words: 307 - Pages: 2
...The most interesting concepts I learned from this course, Lifespan Development, were those topics that involved the many stages of development. This was of particular interest to me as I was able to compare the various theories and how they related to my own children’s developmental milestones. Having two typical children and one with Autism, it was fascinating to see the differences and similarities in their cognitive and moral development. One specific chapter that grabbed my attention was chapter 6, which focused on the different theories that focused on cognitive developmental milestones which were explained by Piaget and Vygotsky (Stantrock, pages 175 and 191). Piaget’s Processes of Development was noteworthy as it highlighted the different...
Words: 405 - Pages: 2
...‘How effective is Kohlberg’s stage theory of moral development in explaining moral reasoning and moral behaviour?’ Morality refers to the ‘principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour’ (Oxford dictionary, 2013). Moral development focuses on the way morality changes from childhood to adulthood. It consists of two things; moral reasoning and moral behaviour. Moral reasoning is when an individual tried to work out the difference between right and wrong by using logic. This is a process that is undertaken by people daily in their lives when faced with dilemmas and they need to make a decision based on the morality of the action and what the consequences could be. Moral behaviour is the way people can behave depending on their moral reasoning. Moral behaviour consists of four components; moral sensitivity, moral judgement, moral motivation and moral character. Many theories have been developed on moral development. These theories are based on an individual’s level of cognitive maturity. This essay focuses on Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, and aims to discuss how effective Kohlberg’s stage theory of moral development is, in explaining moral reasoning and moral behaviour. Kohlberg Developed the moral development theory based on Piaget’s theory. Piaget believed that moral development was only a two-staged theory; the first stage of his theory was common in childhood and was called the ‘Heteronomous’ stage. The general idea was...
Words: 1572 - Pages: 7
