kohlberg

• what did kohlberg create?

  The 6 levels of moral development
• what method was used to collect qualitive data?

  interviews
• the study was also...

  cross cultural and longitudinal
• what were kholbergs american participants like?

  • 75 boys
  • aged 10-16
• where were cross cultural ppts from?

  • UK
  • Canada
  • Taiwan
  • Mexico
  • Turkey
• what procedure did kohlberg use?

  He presented his participants with moral dilemmas, asking if Heinz should steal the drug to save his wife.
• what happened with the boys answers?

  their answers were analysed and identified to be one of the 6 stages
• how often were the boys presented with the moral dilemma?

  every 3 years
• what were the findings?

  younger boys would answer at a pre-conventional level but as they got older their answers focused more on what was morally right as relationships with others are important
• how did it differ in other countries?

  in mexico and taiwan development was a bit slower
• what did kohlberg conclude?

  that its universal - people everywhere go through stages in the same order
• what does each new stage represent?

  A deeper understanding of moral development meaning we begin to become morally mature
• what are the 6 stages of moral development?

  1. Obedience and Punishment
  2. instrumental orientation
  3. good girl good boy
  4. social ordering
  5. social contract
  6. universal ethical principles
• what occurs in stage 1- punishment and obedience?

  focuses on obeying rules
• what occurs in stage 2- instrumental oreientation?

  Self-interest and to satisfy their own needs
• what occurs in stage 3- good girl/good boy?

  what is defined by right by others
• what occurs in stage 4- social ordering?

  what is right in terms of the social system
• what occurs in stage 5- social contract?

  what are the indivdual rights and interests of the majority
• what occurs in stage 6 - universal principles?

  self chosen abstract moral principles
• evaluation - sampling

  Advantages :

  • Has remained unchallenged to be proven wrong

  Disadvantages :

  • was only done with boys which could be different to female morality
  • women tend to focus on relationships more
• evaluation- external validity

  Disadvantages :

  • Moral dilemmas were not based on real life decisions and could've made little sense especially to younger kids
  • Gilligans research used real dilemmas ( e.g having an abortion)
• evaluation- social desirability bias

  Advantages:

  • kohlberg claimed it was a theory of reasoning not about social desirability and proved that those at pre- conventional level are more likely to cheat than those morally mature. 70% v 15%

  Disadvantages :

  • participants may of wanted to appear in a good light