Psychological Criminology (Moral Development)
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Institution Affiliation: The Stages of Kohlberg's moral development theory
Kohlberg's moral theory of development is based on the Piaget's theories, and it measures reasoning more than the actual conclusion. It includes five stages of development. The first one is obedience and punishment stage whereby kids view rules as external, they are self-centered, and they avoid punishments. The second stage is Instrumental hedonism whereby the reasoning is self-centered, but they can be able to recognize other people's interests. It gets followed by good boy or girl stage where kids avoid rejection by doing what pleases other people so as to be termed as good. The fourth stage is a stage of authority and social order. At this stage, kids avoid rejection by the highly respectable authorities and hence they try to follow societal rules. Social contract is the fifth stage, and the human have respect for the society since they understand that laws are a contract between a human and society. Finally, there is a universal ethical principle whereby the moral reasoning is determined by selected principles that are consisted and might overrule the rules of the society. Moral development approach versus social learning approach to understanding crime
The social learning approach argues that people engage in crime because of associating with those who engage in crime. It argues that the behavior is reinforced to them. On the other hand, the moral development approach argues that criminals initiate from a developmental process while growing up that gets characterized by erratic and recurring periods of coercion.
Justification of law breaking at each moral stage
In the first stage, lawbreaking is justified if the punishment can be avoided. In the second stage, it can be justified if the risks involved do not exceed the reward. In the third stage, offending is justified if it keeps and maintains relationships; in the fifth stage, justification is when offending does not conflict with the societal norms. Lastly, law breaking can be justified when it is in support of human rights or it maintains justice.
Is there a link between delinquency and moral development?
Yes, there is a link. Studies have shown that non-juvenile offenders have a relatively higher reasoning than the juvenile offenders. Using the cognitive development theory to moral socialization might hence be constrained since the two does have a relationship.
The hypothesized link between pre-conventional reasoning and antisocial prudent offending
The hypothesized connection between the two is that; antisocial prudent offending includes individuals who think of doing a criminal act even before doing it. On the other hand, pre-conventional reasoning involves those who commit a crime because it is necessary. An example is a person who steals something because he or she wants and needs it.
Differences between male and female moral reasoning
Male moral reasoning is mainly focused on abstract principles unlike that of women since they centre their reasoning on specific particular situations. Men’s reasoning views moral problems as conflicts between individuals whereas women think the problems originate from the requirements of the continuing relationships.
How moral development theory accounts for different types of offending
The moral development theory accounts for the diverse types of offending in the case where offenders are in different levels of development. It also accounts where the offending had got planned with an individual's thoughts. Finally, it is applied where there is no need where offenders who had not been planned get suggested to make use of conventional, as well as the pre-conventional moral reasoning.
How moral discussion groups work
Moral discussion groups are a collection of individuals that come together with the aim of holding a discussion about moral problems and issues. These groups’ helps in bringing on the offending parties at relatively higher levels of moral reasoning compared to before. In this case, they help reduce the offending cases and increase moral reasoning in the society hence changing behaviors for better.