MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Moral development refers to the process through which an individual acquires the ability
to distinguish between right and wrong. They deal with how individuals deal with fellow
human beings. This study also includes a look at how morality manifests in a child’s thoughts
and behavior, and the other factors that influence the development of concepts such as right and
wrong, conscience, ethical and religious values, social attitudes, behavior, justice, welfare, and
rights. Different theories explain moral development:

Piaget’s theory of moral development

Piaget interviewed children between 3-13 years with the clinical interview method, on children
in moral reasoning. He investigated them on three areas:

 The formulation of rules

 The relation of intention to the attribution of culpability
 Justice.

He participated in the game of marbles with them. His theory had the following stages:

1. Pre-moral (birth -5 years)

2. Stage of heteronomous morality or moral realism(5-10 years)
 morality imposed from the outside. Children regard morality as obeying other people's
rules and laws, which cannot be changed. They accept that all rules are made by some
authority figure (e.g. parents, teacher, God), and that breaking the rules will lead to
immediate and severe punishment (immanent justice).
 The function of any punishment is to make the guilty suffer in that the severity of the
punishment should be related to severity of wrong-doing (expiatory punishment).
 During this stage children consider rules as being absolute and unchanging, i.e. 'divine
like'. They think that rules cannot be changed and have always been the same as they are
now.Behavior is judged as “bad” in terms of the observable consequences, regardless on
the intentions or reasons for that behavior. Therefore, a large amount of accidental
damage is viewed as worse than a small amount of deliberate damage.

2.Stage of Autonomous Morality or Moral Relativism(10-13 years)

He found out that young children looked up to figures of authority, and used them as models of
what is right and wrong. As a child’s intelligence and knowledge base develops, he becomes
more autonomous and begins to evaluate ideas based on his own principles of morality.Children
recognize there is no absolute right or wrong and that morality depends on intentions not
consequences.

KOHLBERG’S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

Kohlberg was interested in the reasons why people made decisions that involved morality.
Kohlberg believed that individual’s progress through stages of moral reasoning in one
specific order, without skipping any in between. His theory is based on research with
hundreds of individuals of various ages, whom he presented with difficult moral dilemmas for
them to respond to. He developed a theory of moral development that included six stages of
moral reasoning, which are divided into three levels. According to him most people did not
reach the final level of moral reasoning.

The first level of moral thinking is that generally found at the elementary school level. In the
first stage of this level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are
told to do so by some authority figure (e.g., parent or teacher). This obedience is compelled by
the threat or application of punishment. The second stage of this level is characterized by a view
that right behaviour means acting in one's own best interests.

The second level of moral thinking is that generally found in society, hence the name
"conventional." The first stage of this level (stage 3) is characterized by an attitude which seeks
to do what will gain the approval of others. The second stage is one oriented to abiding by the
law and responding to the obligations of duty.

The third level of moral thinking is one that Kohlberg felt is not reached by the majority of
adults. Its first stage (stage 5) is an understanding of social mutuality and a genuine interest in
the welfare of others. The last stage (stage 6) is based on respect for universal principle and the
demands of individual conscience. While Kohlberg always believed in the existence of Stage 6
and had some nominees for it, he could never get enough subjects to define it since not so many
people reach the stage.

Kohlberg believed that individuals could only progress through these stages one stage at a time.
That is, they could not "jump" stages. They could not, for example, move from an orientation of
selfishness to the law and order stage without passing through the good boy/girl stage. They
could only come to a comprehension of a moral rationale one stage above their own. Thus,
according to Kohlberg, it was important to present them with moral dilemmas for discussion
which would help them to see the reasonableness of a "higher stage" morality and encourage
their development in that direction. Just as did Piaget, most moral development occurs through
social interaction.

Levels and Stages of Moral Development

Level 1: Preconventional Morality

The first level of morality, preconventional morality, can be further divided into two stages:
obedience and punishment, and individualism and exchange.

Stage 1: Punishment- Obedience Orientation

This stage includes the use of punishment so that the person refrains from doing the action and
continues to obey the rules. For example, we follow the law because we do not want to go to jail.
Stage 2: Instrumental Relativist Orientation

The person is said to judge the morality of an action based on how it satisfies the individual
needs of the doer. For instance, a person steals money from another person because he needs that
money to buy food for his hungry children. In Kohlberg’s theory, the children tend to say that
this action is morally right because of the serious need of the doer.

Level 2: Conventional Morality

The second level of morality involves the stages 3 and 4 of moral development. Conventional
morality includes the society and societal roles in judging the morality of an action.

Stage 3: Good Boy-Nice Girl Orientation

In this stage, a person judges an action based on the societal roles and social expectations before
him. This is also known as the “interpersonal relationships” phase. For example, a child gives
away her lunch to a street peasant because she thinks doing so means being nice.

Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation

This stage includes respecting the authorities and following the rules, as well as doing a person’s
duty. The society is the main consideration of a person at this stage. For instance, a policeman
refuses the money offered to him under the table and arrests the offender because he believes this
is his duty as an officer of peace and order.

Level 3: Post conventional Morality

The post-conventional morality includes stage 5 and stage 6. This is mainly concerned with the
universal principles that relation to the action done.

Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation

In this stage, the person is look at various opinions and values of different people before coming
up with the decision on the morality of the action.

Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principles Orientation

The final stage of moral reasoning, this orientation is when a person considers universally
accepted ethical principles. The judgment may become innate and may even violate the laws and
rules as the person becomes attached to his own principles of justice.

Strengths and weaknesses of Kohlberg’s theory

 Kohlberg’s theory is empirical. Kohlberg closely followed Piaget’s workings and

conducted a similar clinical scientific interviewing process with participants.

 He developed a moral development for individuals in an organized society. His theory

can be used as a common ground that can serve as guidance for individuals.

Limitations of the theory

 Concentration on hypothetical moral development rather than on moral behaviour,

 culture, and gender. Kohlberg presents the participants with hypothetical moral

dilemmas. He asks what the main actor or protagonist “should” or “would” in the

scenario along with an explanation. E.g. Heinz dilemma addresses the issue of value by

either obeying the law or going against the value of saving a human life.

 Gender is the third limitation in Kohlberg’s research. There is an assumption that his

study is biased because all of the participants are solely male. Kohlberg’s theory “does

not adequately represent the morality of girls and women.

Factors Influencing Moral Development

1. Cognitive development

2. Family

3. Increased experience with their peers.

4. Religious organisations

5. Culture/community

6. Mass media

7. Adults

Activity: Read about Heinz Dilemma.