MORAL DEVELOPMENT (ETHICS)

• Moral Development is a lifelong process through which we, humans, acquire our belief, attitudes and values with the goal of making us morally mature and enabling us to live comfortably with others.
• Lawrence Kohlberg (1984) was the psychologist who proposed the Theory of the Stages of Development.
• According to Lawrence Kohlberg, as people grow and develop, they passed through a series of stages that would influence their sense of justice and affect how they rationalize their moral judgments.
• Moral reasoning is a key factor in moral decision making.
• A classic example of the dilemma Kohlberg used was the Heinz Dilemma.
• Moral development has three levels:

  1. Preconventional
  2. Conventional
  3. Post conventional
• Preconventional Level

  In this level, the moral choice is based on the possible consequences of the behavior. Consequences may range from rewards, punishments or as a results of favors. Within this level are the first and second stages of moral development.
• Stage 1: Punishment Orientation - the reasons for the choice of behavior given are based on the possibility of punishment. Obedience to authority is needed to avoid being punished. The goodness or badness of the action is overlooked.
• Stage 2: Pleasure-seeking Orientation - the reasons for the choice of behavior are based on one's own needs or self-interest and disregard the important virtues of loyalty, gratitude or justice.
• Conventional Level

  In this level, reasons for the choices of behavior are based on the desire to please others or to conform to rules and accepted social values.
• Stage 3: Good Boy/Good Girl Orientation - the reason for the choice of behavior emphasize being “nice”. The basis for good behavior is its capacity to please others, thereby acquiring the approval of the group.
• Stage 4: Authority Orientation - the reason for the choice of behavior is to uphold the law, do one's duty and follow social rules.
• Post- Conventional Level

  The reasons for the choice of behavior is based on self-accepted moral principles. The last two stages fall under this highest level of moral development.
• Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation - the reasons for the choice of behavior is based on personal moral standards and acceptance of rules. In this stage, however, there is possibility that some rules maybe questioned for in some cases the rules may be wrong.
• Stage 6: Morality of Individual Principle - this is the highest stage of Kohlberg's moral development. The reasons for the choice of behavior is guided by self-chosen universal ethical principles.
• Morality of Individual Principle

  In this stage, the person strongly value justice, dignity and equality and integrates these into his understanding of morality which to him are more important than the laws of the land.
• Conscience is a part of the mind that makes us aware of our actions as being morally right or wrong.
• Conscience is the sense of awareness we have of the moral goodness or wrongness of our conduct, intention or character together with a feeling of obligation to do what is right to be good.
• Conscience is an inner voice that tells us that what we did is good or makes us feel guilty because we did wrong and we failed to do what we ought to do.
• Human behavior suggest that conscience is a product of learning.
• Learning in the field of human behavior is defined as permanent changes in behavior or behavior potential that is brought about by repeated practice or exposure to situation.
• Since conscience is acquired, it is important that learning begins in the early developmental stages.
• Who gave a list to develop a good, strong moral character? Michael Elgersma
• Compassion - being sympathetic of other’s distress together with a desire to help to lighten the burden.
• Courtesy - exhibiting polite behavior that shows respect for other people.
• Cooperation - being part of a situation in which people work together to do something good or beneficial.
• Responsibility - performing a duty or task that one is required or expected to do so.
• Fairness - agreeing with what is thought to be right or acceptable.
• Tolerance - willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from one's own.
• Self-control - having resistant over one's own impulses, emotions or desires.
• Courage - doing something that one knows is difficult or dangerous.
• Knowledge - awareness of something; an information, understanding or skill that one gets from experience or education.
• Honesty - manifesting the quality of being fair or truthful.
• Respectfulness - admiring someone or something that is good, valuable or important.