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Introduction to Kohlberg Stages of Moral Development
kohlberg stages, Ethics influence every decision we make and every action we take. But how do we determine and understand these moral choices? The answer is moral development. Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed a model for moral development. The complex nature of morality is broken down into stages. These stages enhance understanding and decision-making making whether it is personal dilemmas or professional dilemmas. These powerful stages can shape the behavior of individuals and the behavior of society as a whole.
The Three Levels of Moral Development
Outlined in three levels, Kohlberg’s model(s) kohlberg stagesdevelopment process as including the pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional levels of moral reasoning, each progressively more advanced than the last.
In the case of the pre-conventional levels, it is argued that the individual’s reasoning is concrete, is centered around the individual, and is driven by either the avoidance of punishment or the seeking of rewards. It is the individual’s selfish interests that drive concrete rationale as a moral view.
As to the conventional levels, individuals centerkohlberg stages around the societal expectations and norms. The individual is centered towards seeking approval by observing conformity to the endorsed rules; therefore, the order of the society as a whole is moral and just because good order is achieved.
Finally, in the post-conventional stages, ankohlberg stages and moral development is authentic as the individual is questioning moral foundations and social dictates of laws. The individual is centered towards universal moral laws that advocate justice and human rights as the most important to the community. These individuals have advanced moral reasoning capabilities that are critically above the expectations set by society and order compliance.
Stage 1: Pre-conventional Morality
Stage 1 of Kohlberg’s model is known as kohlberg stages of morality. Individuals’ judgments and conclusions are made from consequence and from the perspective of the actor. Interactions are from the perspective of the self and with self-interest in mind. The basic rule is to avoid punishment and ask for a reward.
In fact, children and most people whom kohlberg stages Becker refers to as the “outsiders” operate at this moral level. Becker argues that “outsiders” committed to rule violations should be seen as members of the group for moral judgments to be made. The “outsider” imposes their will on the group, limiting their options, creating the moral dilemma. At this level, children do not yet integrate the social complexities.
One example could be someone who does not steal a cookie. The only reason for this is the socially imposed gain of not being scolded and the loss involved in being scolded. There is gain and loss, and loss is preferred.
There is a Feeble kohlberg stages argument of Becker. Moral development is only socialized externally. There is consideration for self only. Pre-conventional morality is the most basic form of morality, and all higher forms are developed from it. These forms will include the complex social systems with all the additional moral structures in their thinking.
Stage 2: Conventional Morality
Stage 2 of Kohlberg’s model pertaining to kohlberg stages calls for the upholding of societal norms as a reflection of the movement to the next step. In this stage as individuals start to understand community functions and become the most engaged. Community functions and starting to understand the norms update the individual to become the most engaging to understand and prioritize a collectivity
. In this stage, the individual starts to understand and prioritize a collectivity. In this stage, individuals seek a community as they build relations and determine that a form of preventing conflict in the community order and a form of avoiding conflict in the community is by following the rules. This is indicative of the understanding of the individual and a form of contributing to a community arrangement. Decision-making is directed to a socially engineered outcome.
Stage 3: Post-conventional Morality
They focus on universal and overarching principles. At this stage, moral decisions are bkohlberg stages principles.They are prepared to defy social and cultural expectations, arguing for their convictions.
This stage fosters the most sophisticated thinking on the morality of the motivated actions. It encourages individuals to analyze their convictions, dissent from established order, and moralize the situation for the sake of a reasonable and fair social order. The experience of post-conventional morality is designed to be enlightening and to stimulate the most intricate moral issues.
Applying Kohlberg’s Model in Ethical Decision-Making
Choices at this stage tend to lack profound ethical reasoning as one focuses and prioritizes themselves. As one moves to the stage of kohlberg stages, social order, norms, and rules gain significance. Decisions during this stage are made with the expectation of social approval and incorporation of societal standards. Here, action orientation with a compass of integrity becomes really important.
The post-conventional stage of morality focuses primarily on individual critical thought and universal principles, particularly justice. It encourages independent and self-driven divergence from conformity.
Criticisms and Limitations of Kohlberg’s Stages
Some have argued that the stages are too ethnocentric, especially considering the Western ideals of morality. Some argue that the stages do not take cultural variations in moral and ethical reasoning into account.
Another critique is that of gender bias. For example, Carol Gilligan has pointed out that Kohlberg’s framework has taken a male perspective of morality, which has prioritized the value of justice over the ethics of care. This, of course, begs the question of whether the moral development framework addresses the moral development of women and other underrepresented groups.
Other researchers have pointed out that moral kohlberg stages followed by emotional reasoning, which goes against what Kohlberg suggested. More often than not, the emotionally driven moral actions violate the principles that Kohlberg has laid out.
The final critique is that the stages do not take into account the possibility that moral development is simultaneous and people may present moral traits that belong to different stages at the same time.
Real-Life Examples of Kohlberg’s Model in Action
kohlberg stages scenarios show that Kohlberg’s stages demonstrate improved rational ethical thinking.. For example, a young adult not cheating on an exam because they will be honest/honesty helps them understand that their future career will require them to have integrity.
At the highest level, a person’s moral code is not restricted. Picture a manager, for example, who uncovers unethical behaviors in their team. From a pre-conventional perspective, the manager may, out of self-preservation, elect to ignore the unethical behaviors.
A spur-of-the-moment consideration, though, from the conventional standpoint that now triggered the manager to act, may prompt the manager to resolve the behaviors from the perspective of organizational policies, which dictate a certain degree of order, and organizational values of a certain degree of integrity and ethicality.
From the conventional perspective, there are expectations of a degree of order, and organizational policies dictate a certain degree of order, and organizational values of a certain degree of integrity and ethicality.
The above illustrates the significance of Kohlberg’s stages and the ethics in decision-making processes and dilemmas we encounter daily, whether in the hallways of educational institutions or in the boardrooms of international corporations. As we identify the stage of Kohlberg’s in the ethics paradigm in a dilemma, we gain a greater degree of decision-making complexity and, in turn, a more precise ethical alignment in the outcome.
