MORAL+DEVELOPMENT-Kohlberg,+Gilligan

[|KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT]


 * KOHLBERG'S "Theory of Moral Reasoning" **

PRECONVENTIONAL MORALITY: (younger than age 9)
 * STAGE 1: (Obedience and Punishment) ** The child assumes that powerful authorities hand down a fixed set of rules which he/she must obey without question. For example, a child might say //"Stealing is bad, because you'll get punished."//
 * STAGE 2: (Instrumental Relativist) ** The child assumes that obeying rules involve an 'equal exchange'. //"You shouldn't steal something from the store, and the store owner shouldn't steal things that belong to you."//

CONVENTIONAL MORALITY: (ages 9-20)
 * STAGE 3: (Good boy - Nice girl orientation) ** Teenagers, at this stage, who believe that people should live up to the expectations of family, values, the law and community, and behave in "good" ways. The right action is carried out for the purpose of pleasing or impressing others. //"My parents would be proud of me if I am honest."//

They have a respect for obedience to laws to maintain the social order. // "Stealing is against the law, and if we don't obey laws, our whole society might fall apart." //
 * STAGE 4: (Law and Order orientation) **

**Level 3:** POSTCONVENTIONAL MORALITY: (ages over 20) All people have basic rights such as liberty and life. Rules should protect the rights of individuals. Unfair laws should follow the democratic procedures to be changed in order to improve society. // "Under certain circumstances, laws may have to be disregarded - if a person's life depends on breaking a law, for instance." // (An example of this might be a woman's decision to get an abortion if her life would be endangered by going through childbirth.)
 * STAGE 5: (Social Contract orientation) **

People at this stage have developed their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not fit the law. (Moral decisions are based on self-chosen ethical principles such as human rights, justice and equality). Persons may need to be prepared to defend their principles even if it means going against the rest of society, or paying consequences or even being imprisoned. // "You need to weigh all the factors and then try to make the most appropriate decision in a given situation. Sometimes it might be morally wrong **not** to steal." //
 * STAGE 6: (Universal Ethical Priniciple) KOHLBERG doubted that few people reached this stage. **


 * [|KOHLBERG LEVELS DISCUSSION] Introductory video **

**.[|LIndsborg teens find purse full of money] Article for discussion - Which levels/stages of morality are these teens? Why?**

==[|Penn State fraternity pledge death] ** Article for discussion - Which levels/stages of morality are these teens? Why do you think that? **==

[|Hypothetical moral issues] **Choose 2 moral issues. Respond in writing to what your response would be or what you would do. Who is the most moral to least moral in the two example stories? Why?**

or
 * GILLIGAN PAGE Go to this page and read the information on Gilligan. Watch Carol Gilligan speak on the short video on that page. Do you think she's right about females' ethic of care compared to males? Support your views. **