Kohlberg theory of moral reasoning

• What is moral reasoning ?


  How am Individual draws their own value system and society to determine wherever an action is right or wrong
• How did kholberg come up with this theory ?

  • interviewed men and boys about responding behind moral decisions and constructed a theory of normal development.
  • the higher the stage the more logical and morally mature you are
• What is progression ?

  Result of biological maturity and the opportunity to discuss thoughts and perspective of others
• What did kholberg believe ?

  Some people didn’t progress past certain levels

  • making them more likely to commit crime as they are focussed on their own outcome rather than the bigger impact on society
• What are the 3 levels ?

  • pre- conventional morality
  • conventional morality
  • post- conventional morality
• What is stage 1 ?

  punishment orientation (infancy)

  ’Will I be punished ?’

  • reasoning for crime is based on whether the act will lead to a punishment
  • if this isn’t clear crime is more likely to occur
• What is stage 2?

  Reward orientation (pre school)

  ’what will I gain ?’

  • reasoning based on rewards and best reward for oneself
• What is stage 3 ?

  Good boy or good girl orientation (school)

  ’what will others think?’

  • reasoning based on what others expect, approval and maintaining friendly relations
  • criminal friends will increase likelihood
• What is stage 4?

  Law and order (school)

  ’is it illegal?’

  • reasoning is based on doing duties as a citizen
  • a duty to society and the community
  • following the law and thus less likely to commit crime
• What is stage 5?

  Social contract and individual rights orientation (teens)

  ’does the law explicitly apply?’

  • reasoning based on mutual/reciprocal benefits
  • morally right and legally right are not alwyas the same
  • crime is likely in specific circumstances where they feel the law shouldn’t apply
• What is stage 6?


  Conscious orientation (adulthood)

  ’is the law unjust?’

  • reasoning based on one’s own ethical principles and benefit others/ consider the bigger impact
  • may commit crime if law is viewed as unjust
• Pre-conventional level


  Characterised by a need to avoid punishment and gain rewards, associated with less mature, childlike reasoning
• Criminals are more likely classified at the pre-conventional level with only 10% adults reaching post-conventional level
• Conventional criminals


  Commit crime to avoid punishment or gain rewards because they believe that breaking the law is justified if the rewards outweighs the cost or punishment can be avoided
• Conventional criminals


  Would argue their behaviour is justified because it helps maintain personal relationships
• what was found about the levels ?

  • 20% of children age 10 were at stages 1
  • 60% were at stage 2
  • this fits with the age of criminal responsibly in the uk age 10
  • individuals at the higher levels tend to sympathise more with the rights of others and exhibit more conventional behaviours such as honesty, generosity and non violence
• Evaluation ?

  1. black burn
  2. gudjonsson et al
  3. gilligan
• Blackburn ?

  • suggests that delinquents may show poor moral development due to a lack of role playing opportunities in childhood
  • supports eyesencks socialisation idea
• Gudjonsson 


  Studies 128 male juvineille offenders

  • 38% didn’t consider the consequences of their actions and 36% were confident they wouslmt be caught
• Gilligan 


  criticised the bias sample to crate the theory

  the male orientated dilemmas that focussed on justice rather than care and empathy

  • when kohlberg tested his theory on women they resulted in being less morally developed than men
  • shows differences in men and women when committing crime