cognitive explanations of offending behaviour

• KHOLBERG believed that moral reasoning developed in 6 stages (split into 3 levels)
• each stage represents a more advanced level of reasoning; individuals progress through stages as a consequence of biological maturity.
• the higher the level the more sophisticated the moral reasoning is
• offending can occur in any of the stages, however immoral behavior will be more likely to be shown in those in the lower levels.
• PALMER and HOLIN 1998 conducted a survey of convicted young male offenders and non-offenders.

  • they found that young male offenders were typically in KOHLBERG's pre-conventional level but non-offenders tended to operate at conventional level of reasoning.
• ASHKAR and KENNY 2007 compared moral reasoning level of juvenile sex offenders and other offenders

  • when asked about their reasoning in contexts similar to their crimes, both groups had pre-conventional levels
  • however, they showed higher conventional levels when it was a context unrelated to their crimes
• what is pre-conventional morality? 


  judging actions by their consequences
• what 2 stages are in the pre-conventional level?


  1. punishment stage
  2. reward stage
• what is conventional morality?


  conforming to social rules
• what 2 stages are in the conventional morality?


  3. good boy or good girl stage

  4. law and order stage
• what is post-conventional morality?


  defining morality in terms of abstract moral principles
• what 2 stages are in the post-conventional morality level?

  5. social conract stage

  6. ethical principle stage
• what is the punishment stage?

  focuses on rules enforced by punishment
• what is the reward stage?


  what counts as 'right' is defined as one's own needs
• What is the good boy or good girl stage?


  what is 'right' is defined by what others expect
• what is the law and order stage?


  complying with the laws of society to uphold the law and maintain social order
• what is the social contract stage?


  whilst laws are recognized as important, individuals rights can be seen as more important
• what is the ethical principle stage?


  own set of universal moral guidelines which may not fit the law