kohlberg

• Moral psychology is the study of the development of the moral

  sense
• moral psychology

  is the capacity of forming

  judgments about what is morally

  right or wrong, good or bad.
• Moral development is the process

  through which children develop proper

  attitudes and behaviors toward other

  people in society, based on social and

  cultural norms, rules, and laws.
• STAGES OF MORALITY:

  1. obedience & punishment orientation
  2. relativist orientation
  3. good boy / nice girl orientation
  4. law and order orientation
  5. social contract orientation
  6. universal ethical principle orientation
• levels of moral developments

  pre-conventional morality, conventional morality, post-conventional morality
• pre-conventional level


  moral reasoning is closely tied to personal concern
• PRE-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL:

  • Punishments and rewards dominate the sense of right & wrong
  • Morality is externally controlled
  • Rules of authority figures must be respected.
  • Behaviour that results in punishment are bad
  • Behaviour that results in rewards are good
• stage 1: obedience & punishment orientation


  Morality is based upon the physical

  punishment that follows an action,

  rather than right or wrong.
• stage 2: relativist orientation


  The concern is "What's in it

  for me?" Action is judged right

  if it helps in satisfying one's

  needs or involves a fair

  exchange.
• THE CONVENTIONAL LEVEL:

  • Needs of Laws and society are the defining features.
  • Good behaviour is motivated to maintain the affection and
  • approval of friends and relatives
  • Understand that standards are set for the current social system, not getting that there is self-interest involved (e.g., no such thing as a bad law)
• stage 3: good boy / nice girl orientation


  People should live up to the expectations of

  the family and community and behave in

  "good" ways.
• stage 4: law and order orientation


  While stage three actions are more

  concerned with pleasing your family,

  stage four is associated with following

  society as a whole. Emphasis is spent

  on obeying laws to maintain social

  order.
• THE POST-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL:

  • Personal moral beliefs and values
  • Characterized by references to universal ethical principles that represent protecting the rights or of all people
  • Most adults do not reach this level.
• stage 5: social contract orientation


  People begin to scrutinize laws not as absolute constructs, but as acceptable only to the degree that they are fair. Personal values and conscience begin to play a distinct role in the assessment of rules and regulations.
• stage 6: universal ethical principle orientation


  As human beings we are obligated to

  live by the principle that all men are

  created equal" regardless of race,

  religion, sexual orientation, or political

  belief. Justice is universal, so unjust

  laws must be broken.