Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Development Essay

Kohlbergs six stages can be more generally sort out into three levels of two stages each pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional. Following Piagets constructivist requirements for a stage model, as described in his theory of cognitive development, it is extremely elevated to regress in stagesto lose the use of higher stage abilities. Stages cannot be skipped each provides a new and necessary perspective, more comprehensive and differentiated than its predecessors besides integrated with them.Level 1 (Pre- stately)1. Obedience and punishment orientation(How can I avoid punishment?)2. Self-interest orientation(Whats in it for me?)(Paying for a benefit)Level 2 (Conventional)3. Interpersonal conformance of rights and conformity(Social norms)(The good boy/girl attitude)4. Authority and social- effect maintaining orientation(Law and order chasteity)Level 3 (Post-Conventional)5. Social cartel orientation6. Universal honorable principles(Principled conscience)The understa nding gained in each stage is retained in later stages, but may be regarded by those in later stages as simplistic, lacking in sufficient attention to detail.Pre-conventionaleditThe pre-conventional level of moral conclude is especially common in children, although adults can also disclose this level of reasoning. Reasoners at this level judge the morality of an action by its direct consequences. The pre-conventional level consists of the first and second stages of moral development, and is solely concerned with the self-importance in an egocentric manner. A child with preconventional morality has not yet adoptedor internalized societys conventions regarding what is right or wrong, but preferably focuses largely on external consequences that certain actions may bring.In Stage one (obedience and punishment driven), individuals focus on the direct consequences of their actions on themselves. For example, an action is perceived as morally wrong because the perpetrator is punished. T he last time I did that I got spanked so I will not do it again. The worse the punishment for the act is, the more bad the act is perceived to be.16 This can give rise to an inference that even innocent victims are guilty in residual to their suffering. It is egocentric, lacking recognition that others points of view are different from ones deliver.There is deference to superior power or prestige.Stage two (self-interest driven) espouses the whats in it for me position, in which right behavior is defined by whatever the individual believes to be in their best interest but understood in a narrow way which does not consider ones reputation or relationships to groups of volume. Stage two reasoning shows a limited interest in the needs of others, but only to a point where it might further the individuals own interests. As a result, concern for others is not order on loyalty or intrinsic respect, but rather a You scratch my back, and Ill scratch yours. mentality. The lack of a soci etal perspective in the pre-conventional level is quite different from the social charter (stage five), as all actions have the purpose of serving the individuals own needs or interests. For the stage two theorist, the worlds perspective is often seen as morally relative.ConventionaleditThe conventional level of moral reasoning is typical of adolescents and adults. To reason in a conventional way is to judge the morality of actions by comparing them to societys views and expectations. The conventional level consists of the third and fourth stages of moral development. Conventional morality is characterized by an acceptance of societys conventions concerning right and wrong. At this level an individual obeys rules and follows societys norms even when there are no consequences forobedience or disobedience. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid, however, and a rules appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned.789In Stage three (interpersonal accord and conformity d riven), the self enters society by filling social roles. Individuals are receptive to approval or disapproval from others as it reflects societys accordance with the perceived role. They try to be a good boy or good girl to live up to these expectations, having learned that there is inherent pass judgment in doing so. Stage three reasoning may judge the morality of an action by evaluating its consequences in terms of a persons relationships, which without delay begin to include things like respect, gratitude and the golden rule. I want to be liked and thought well of apparently, not being naughty makes people like me. Desire to maintain rules and authority exists only to further support these social roles. The intentions of actors play a more significant role in reasoning at this stage one may feel more forgiving if one thinks, they mean well In Stage four (authority and social order obedience driven), it is important to obey laws, dictums and social conventions because of their i mportance in maintaining a functioning society. Moral reasoning in stage four is thus beyond the need for individual approval exhibited in stage three. A central ideal or ideals often prescribe what is right and wrong. If one person violates a law, perhaps everyone would thus there is an obligation and a duty to uphold laws and rules. When someone does violate a law, it is morally wrong culpability is thus a significant factor in this stage as it reprints the bad domains from the good ones. Most active members of society remain at stage four, where morality is silent predominantly dictated by an outside force.Post-ConventionaleditThe post-conventional level, also known as the principled level, is marked by a growing realization that individuals are separate entities from society, and that the individuals own perspective may take precedence over societys view individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with their own principles.Post-conventional moralists live by their own ethical principles principles that typically include such basic human rights as life, liberty, and justice. People who exhibit post-conventional morality view rules as useful but changeable mechanisms ideally rules can maintain the general social order and protect human rights. Rules are not absolute dictates that mustiness be obeyed without question. Because post-conventional individuals elevate their own moral evaluation of a situation over social conventions, their behavior, especially at stage six, can be confused with that of those at the pre-conventional level.Some theorists have speculated that many people may never reach this level of abstract moral reasoning.789In Stage five (social contract driven), the world is viewed as holding different opinions, rights and values. Such perspectives should be mutually respected as unique to each person or community. Laws are regarded as social contracts rather than rigid edicts. Those that do not promote the general welfare should be change d when necessary to meet the greatest good for the greatest add together of people.8 This is achieved through majority decision and inevitable compromise. Democratic government is ostensibly based on stage five reasoning.In Stage six (universal ethical principles driven), moral reasoning is based on abstract reasoning using universal ethical principles. Laws are valid only insofar as they are grounded in justice, and a commitment to justice carries with it an obligation to disobey unjust laws. Legal rights are unnecessary, as social contracts are not essential for deontic moral action. Decisions are not reached hypothetically in a conditional way but rather categorically in an absolute way, as in the philosophical system of Immanuel Kant. This involves an individual imagining what they would do in anothers shoes, if they believed what that other person imagines to be true.The resulting consensus is the action taken. In this way action is never a representation but always an end i n itself the individual acts because it is right, and not because it avoids punishment, is in their best interest, expected, legal, or previously agreed upon. Although Kohlberg insisted that stage six exists, hefound it difficult to identify individuals who consistently operated at that level