MODULE 9

KOHLBERG’ S STAGES
OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
Introduction

Individuals, when confronted by situations where they need to make

moral decisions, exercise their own ability to use moral reasoning. Lawrence
Kohlberg was interested in studying the development of moral reasoning. He
based his theory on the findings of Piaget in studying cognitive development.
Our ability to choose right from wrong is tied with our ability to understand
and reason logically.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this lesson, students can be able to:

1. Explain the stages of moral development.
2. Analyze a person’s level of moral reasoning based on his responses to
moral dilemmas.
3. Cite how the theory of moral development can be applied to your work
as teacher later on.

Time Frame

1 week or 3 hours

Materials Needed

LCD projector or power point presentation

Computer

Teaching and Learning Activities

Read the moral dilemma below.

Ryan, 17, has been saving up money to buy a ticket for this concert of
rock band. His parents have discouraged him from going as the concert will
surely be with a rowdy crowd. The band is notorious for having out-of-control
audience who somehow manages to get drunk and stoned during the concert.
Ryan agreed not to watch anymore. But a day before the concert, Nic, 15-year-
old brother of Ryan, saw a corner of what appeared to be a concert ticket
showing in the pocket of Ryan’s bag. Nic examined it and confirmed it was
indeed a ticket. Looking at Ryan’s bag.Nic also found an extra shirt and 2
sticks of marijuana. So he figured Ryan will go to the concert after all. That
night, Ryan told his parents that he was spending tomorrow night at a
classmate’s house for a school requirement. Then later that evening, he told
Nic of his plan to go to concert. Nic didn’t say anything, but he found it difficult
to sleep that night, thinking whether to tell their parents or not.

1. If you were Nic, what would you do?

_______________________________________________________

2. Why would you choose to do that? What were the things you considered in
deciding what to do?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________

ANALYSIS

Examine the answers you gave. Compare it with the responses provided
below. In which of these responses is your answer most similar?

Stage 1 – “Yes I will tell our parents. Because if they found out later that I
knew, for sure they will get angry and most likely punish me.”
No, I will not tell because Ryan will make my life difficult and also punish me
for telling.”
Stage 2 – “Yes I will tell my parents because they will reward me for it. I will
subtly ask for that new I Pod that I’m wishing to have.”
“No, I will not tell. Ryan will surely grant me a lot of favors for not telling. He’ll
not also squeal on me.”
Stage 3 – “Yes. I will tell so my parents will think I am such an honest boy.”
“No I will not tell. Ryan will think of me as a really cool brother.”
Stage 4 – “Yes I will tell because we should follow the rules that our parents
say.
“No. because it’s been our rule to keep each other secrets.”
Stage 5 – “Yes. I will tell because “he might be hurt or get in trouble and his
welfare is top most priority.
“No. because he is big enough to question my parents decision not to let him
go.”
Stage 6 – “Yes, I will tell because lying is always wrong and I want to be true to
what I believed in.
“NO, because I believe brothers watch out for each other. If he trusted me with
this, I should stay true to him and not say anything.”

In what level of moral development did you response to the dilemma fall?
Reflect about what this indicates about your moral reasoning in this moral
dilemma._______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson Proper
Concepts
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development
According to Kohlberg, moral development occurs in six stages:
Level
Pre-conventional Level
Moral reasoning is based on the
consequence/result of the act, not
on the whether the act itself is
good or bad.
Conventional
Moral reasoning is based on the
conventions or “norms” of society.
This may include approval of
others, law and order.
Post-conventional
Moral reasoning is based on
enduring or consistent principles.
Stage Description
1 Punishment/Obedience. One is
motivated by fear of punishment.
He will act in order to avoid
punishment.
2 Mutual Benefit. One is motivated
to act by the benefit that one may
obtain later. You scratch back, I’ll
scratch yours.
3 Social Approval. One is
motivated by what others expect
in behavior, good boy, good girl.
The person acts because he/she
values how he/she will appear to
others. He/she gives importance
on what people will think or say.
4 Law and Order. One is motivated
to act in order to uphold law and
order. The person will follow the
law because it is the law.
5 Social Contract. Laws that are
wrong can be changed. One will
act base on social justice and the
common good.
6 Universal Principles. This is
associated with the development
of one’s conscience. Having a set
of standards that drives one to
possess moral responsibility to
It is not just recognizing the law, make societal changes regardless
but the principles behind the law. of consequences to oneself.
Examples of persons are Mother
Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Evaluation

I. Identify the stage of moral development shown in the following:

______ 1. Joy allows her classmates to copy her homework so that they will
think she is kind and will like her to be their friend.

______ 2. Ricky does everything to get passing grades because his Mom will
take his play station away if he gets bad grades.

______ 3. A civic action group protests the use of pills for family planning,
saying that although the government allows this, it is actually murder because
the pills are abortifacient (cause of abortion).

______ 4.Jinky lets Hannah copy during their math test because Hannah
agreed to let her copy during their sibika test.

______ 5. Karen decides to return the wallet she found in the canteen so that
people will praise her honesty and think she’s such a nice girl.

______ 6. John decides to return the wallet he found in the canteen because he
believes it’s a right thing to do.

______ 7.Lyka wears her ID inside the campus because she likes to follow the
school rules and regulations.

______ 8. A jeepney driver looks if there’s a policeman around before heu-turns

in a no u-turn spot.

______ 9. Liza volunteers to tutor children at-risk children in her community for
free so they will learn to love school and stay in school.

______ 10. Little Riel behaves so well to get a star stamp from her teacher.