Running head: COGNITIVE, SOCIAL, AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT 1

Cognitive, Social, and Moral Development

Ashlyn P. Morton

ITL606

Learners and Learning II

September 8, 2018

Allan Roth
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Abstract

Over the years, different developmental theories have become popular in North America.

Jean Piaget created a cognitive developmental theory that explains a child’s learning through the

process of assimilating and accommodating different schemes (Slavin, 2015). Lev Semionovich

Vygotsky proposed that a child learns when interacting with their environment. He also believed

that children have the potential to learn the most when working within their zone of proximal

development. Finally, Lawrence Kohlberg theorizes that development can be seeing in critical

thinking and abstract thinking. Through the use of moral dilemma probes, Kohlberg found that

individuals work through six stages of moral reasoning. Which is commonly utilized in

disciplinary actions among teachers and administration.

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Cognitive, Social, and Moral Development

Understanding cognitive, social, and moral development is important for all educators

including administration. When working with children of all different levels, discipline will be

differentiated according to where that student is at developmentally. Piaget, Vygotsky, and

Kohlberg all have developed cognitive, social, and moral developmental theories that can help

educators understand a child’s thought processes.

Cognitive, Social, and Moral Development Theories

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Jean Piaget is one of the most influential psychologists in the history of cognitive

development. Piaget, using his doctorate in biology with his interest in psychology, wanted to

explore how and why mental abilities changed over time. He proposed cognitive development

depended on a child’s manipulation of and interaction with the environment. He believed that

children showed patterns of behavior and thinking, called schemes (Slavin, 2015, p.25). Through

assimilation, children can adjust previous schemes to understand new objects. Furthermore,

through the process of accommodation, a child might modify an existing scheme in light of new

information. Slavin (2015, p.26) gives an example of this process in which a small child is given

objects that resemble items they are aware of. The child might try to bite, bang, or squish the

item to learn about the new object. This technique is the process of assimilation, the child is

attempting to assimilate the object to items he/she is already aware of. In the event the child is

handed an egg, he/she may try to bite, bang, or squish the egg. The unexpected consequences,

the shattering of the egg, would encourage the child to modify the scheme through the process of

accommodation. This example supports Piaget’s theory that children’s cognitive development is

encouraged through manipulation and interaction with the environment.

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Piaget also suggests children go through four stages of cognitive development.

Individuals progress through the four stages of development from birth to adulthood (Slavin,

2015, p.27). Each stage of the four stages: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational,

and formal operational, is marked by the, “emergence of new intellectual abilities that enable

people to understand the world in increasingly complex ways” (Slavin, 2015, p. 27). Every

individual will pass through these four stages over the course of their journey to adulthood.

Lev Semionovich Vygotsky’s Developmental Theory

Vygotsky was a Russian psychologist whose ideas and theories have become strongly

influential in North America. He proposed cognitive development relies greatly on social

interaction and the environment. Through information from others and deliberate teaching, the

child internalizes signs to learn how to self-regulate. Furthermore, Vygotsky believed that

learning is most effective when working within a child’s zone of proximal development (Slavin,

2015, p.34). Tasks within this zone are one’s the child cannot complete on their own but with a

little guidance from a peer or adult, the child will be able to succeed. Also, adults can encourage

development through mediation, a process in which an adult explains, models, or breaks down

complex skills and content so they child may understand. Children have the ability to internalize

this learning, self-regulate, and solve problems by talking themselves through it.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development and its Importance

Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory on moral reasoning is thought to be an elaboration and

refinement of Jean Piaget’s theory of moral development. Kohlberg studied how children and

adults would reason about rules that control their behaviors in difficult or trying situations

(Slavin, 2015, p.49). To do this, he explored an individual’s response to a structured situation

like a moral dilemma. The most famous moral dilemma is the story of a man, his dying wife, and
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some expensive medication. In this dilemma, a man’s wife is dying and can only be possibly

saved by a new medicine. This medicine is outrageously priced and the druggist refuses to sell it

cheaper or let the husband pay later. After gathering up half of the money and asking to pay the

second half later, the druggist still refuses to sell the man the medication. The man, desperate to

save his wife, breaks into the druggists shop and steals the medicine for his wife. This story ends

with a probe, “Should the husband have done that? Why?” (Slavin, 2015, p. 49). This challenges

readers to attempt to understand if the husbands actions were morally right.

Kohlberg had proposed that individuals pass through a series of six stages of moral

development. These stages are grouped into three levels: pre-conventional level, conventional

level, and the post-conventional level (Slavin, 2015, p. 50). In the pre-conventional level, rules

are laid out by others. In stage one, punishment and obedience orientation, physical

consequences of action determine the goodness or badness of the action. In stage two,

instrumental relativist orientation, what is right is determined by what satisfies one’s own needs

and occasionally the needs of others. By the second level, the conventional level, an individual

will adopt their own rules and will sometimes lower one’s own needs to those of the group. For

example, stage three, the good boy-good girl orientation, good behavior is whatever pleases or

help others. Also, in stage four, law and order orientation, what is right is determined by doing

one’s duty and showing respect for authority and social order. However, in the third level, people

define their own values in terms of the ethical principles they have chosen to believe and follow.

This is seen in stage five, social contract orientation, in which what is right is defined by the

terms of general individual rights. It is believed, in this stage, that laws can be changed for the

good of society (Slavin, 2015). Finally, in the sixth stage, universal ethical principle orientation,

what is right is determined by decision of conscience according to self-chosen moral beliefs.

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These types of probes in Kohlberg’s theory are important because they focus on an individual’s

moral reasoning rather than actual behaviors.

I chose to focus on Kohlberg’s moral developmental theory for a variety of reasons. I

believe moral development is important in many social and academic aspects of learning.

Understanding moral reasoning helps young students understand other individual’s perspectives

and thoughts regarding situations. Furthermore, as an educator, understanding how and why a

child acts in situations can help understand that child’s choices even if it did not follow the rules

laid out for that child.

An Example of Kohlberg’s Moral Reasoning in School Settings

For the past four years, I have worked in a before and after school educational program

provided for student’s in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. In many disciplinary

situations, I have questioned a child’s reasoning and lack of judgment in their behavior.

However, in some situations I was able to understand why the child acted out and how it may

have been justified. For example, one day a first grade student (Student A) came up to me and

complained that another first grade student (Student B) had shoved him away, for no reason,

with a force that made him fall down. My immediate reaction was to be upset with Student B for

using physical aggression to express their feelings. Upon calling Student B over I realized there

was much more to the story. When Student B was asked why he thought it was okay to shove

Student A, Student B explained that Student A was following him around the blacktop all day

shouting things in his ear. Student B had repeatedly asked the other student to leave him alone

and to stop following him. However, Student A enjoyed the reaction he was getting out of

Student B so he continued. Student B had finally had enough and turned to shove Student A

away, unintentionally harming him.

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As an instructor in this program, it is my responsibility to discipline the students how I

see fit. This is why it is important to understand the moral reasoning and development in both

students. According to stage one of Kohlberg’s theory, Student B was in the wrong due to the

physical consequences and Student A believed they were free from discipline because they did

not physically hurt anyone (Slavin, 2015, p. 50). However, according to the stages in level three,

I can understand Student B’s frustration and see why he decided to take matters into his own

hands after following the rules did not work. In the end, neither student was in a large amount of

trouble but I did explain that both students were in the wrong. Student A was in the wrong for

not leaving student B alone and pushing him to a breaking point. Student B was in the wrong for

using physical aggression to solve the problem instead of reaching out to an instructor for help.

Understanding morals behind the action often helps in academic and social settings.

Piaget, Vygotsky, and Kohlberg have each created their own theories as to how a child

grows, learns, and reasons. These developmental theories are to help educators plan curriculum,

activities, and even provides guidance on how to handle disciplinary or moral situations. When

an educator understands their students cognitive and moral abilities, he/she can better

accommodate them in the classroom.

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References

Slavin, R. (2015). Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice, 12 ed., Pearson .