76 Unit 2 The Learner
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
Should you steal medicine from a pharmacy if you really need it but
do not have the money to pay for it? What if it is a matter of life and death?
Lawrence Kohlberg asked a similar question to children, teens and adults
as part of his work to better understand how people decide what is right
and wrong. His research led him to identify three different levels of moral
development. He believed that, beginning in childhood, everyone follows
that same progression, although not all individuals attain the highest level.
Each level involves different ways of thinking and solving moral problems.
He called the fi rst level preconventional morality. Decisions about what
is right or wrong depend on whether you will be punished or rewarded
for your behavior. For example, very young children believe that stealing
is wrong because they may be caught and punished. Moral decisions are
viewed from a personal perspective.
The second level of moral development is conventional morality. Some
older children, many teens, and some adults are in this stage. There is an
understanding that society depends on people to observe basic rules of
behavior. Moral decisions are motivated by society’s laws and rules and
how a person who disobeys might be perceived. People may set their own
personal interests aside for the good of society as a whole.
Kohlberg’s last level is postconventional morality. Some teens and most
adults make moral decisions based on principles such as justice and indi-
vidual conscience. They believe that there are universal moral laws related
to human rights that are most important to follow. Decisions are motivated
by integrity rather than personal interest or punishment.
Kohlberg believed that instead of being taught about specifi c “virtues,”
such as kindness and honesty, children and teens should move to the next
level of moral development with the help of adults. He felt students should
work together with teachers to agree on school rules and policies.
Since Kohlberg observed men and boys to develop his theory, some
researchers believed his fi ndings did not include the way women and girls
make moral decisions. Carol Gilligan was one of these researchers. She
believed that the idea of justice was typical of males, but less typical of
females. She believed many women used the idea of caring for others as a
motivating factor in making moral decisions.
Which Theory Is Correct?
Although there are many different, yet sometimes confl icting, ways
to explain human development, each is valid to some extent. Some theo-
ries may be more sound than others. Sometimes the confl ict between two
theories leads to more valid insights. As a teacher, you can benefi t from
understanding several approaches to development and applying them to
the classroom, 3-7.