Analysis And Evaluation Of Four Moral Development Theories

Jean Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development

Piaget had two main categories of which he classified the development of moral development called
heteronomous and autonomous moral thinking. In Piaget’s theory, he believed that until age nine- or
ten-years children’s morality is external, their feeling of right and wrong is controlled by guardians,
instructors or other specialist figures. This is called heteronomous. Essentially, kids acknowledge that
specialist figures have controls, and can make decides that keep going forever, don't change, and
should be pursued and have to be followed. most kids pursue the tenets as an approach to abstain
from being punished. Children over age nine and ten are no longer need others to tell them what is
morally correct they have an internal sense of right and wrong. This called autonomous moral
thinking, in this stage children look at the intent of the action when casting judgment on right or wrong
rather than solely the outcome.

Children start to see moral standards as socially-settled upon rules intended to benefit the group. Kids
utilizing this casing of reference still feel that it is critical to pursue rules, yet these principles are seen
as mind-boggling, to some degree debatable rules that are intended to enhance everybody's lives.
Kids understand that settling on decisions about after the standards ought to be founded on
something more than dread of contrary individual outcomes or want for individual gain. Choices
influence everybody and can profit as well as hurt everybody.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Kohlberg theory has three levels made of six stages of moral development, and each level has two
stages. The three levels are preconventional, conventional, and post conventional. Each of these
levels represent change in the moral perspective of an individual.

The First level is preconventional, Kohlberg believed that children fell into the preconventional level
until about age nine. Stage one which deals with obedience and punishment. Stage two is about self-
interest. The second level is the conventional of reasoning occurred in early adolescence, which is
categorized by valuing the views of others and understanding that rules are important to society.
Stage three deals with individuals basing moral decisions on the feeling of others. They begin to value
trust and loyalty. Their behaviors are motivated by the search for approval and avoidance of blame.
Stage four deals with society as a whole. individuals base their judgment and decisions on the
importance of doing their duty and maintaining the fabric of society adhering the social laws. The third
level is called postconventional based on social contracts and individual right as well as universal
ethical principles. The stage six deals with understanding that moral laws can be devised from
principles of ethical fairness. In this stage, laws are seen as necessary to maintain social order and
basic rights.

Kohlberg suggests that students can develop their understanding of what is fair and moral, if they are
given opportunities to interact with others and workout their difference in open and democratic ways.

Elliot Turiel’s Moral Domain Theory

Elliot Turiel is an American psychologist who conducts research on development of moral reasoning
and children's understanding of authority, rules, cultures and society. His research led to the
development of moral domain theory. Within this theory's framework there are three separate
components: a child's moral development, their adherence to social conventions and their views of
themselves and others. The children's ideas of ethical quality and social tradition rise out of the kid's
endeavors to represent subjectively extraordinary types of social experience related with these two
classes of social events. Actions within the moral domain, for example, unjustifiable hitting of
somebody have intrinsic effects (i. e., the harm that is caused) on the welfare of another person. Such
intrinsic effects occur regardless of the nature of social rules that may or may not be in place
regarding the action. Because of this, the core features of moral cognition are centered around
considerations of the effects which actions have upon the well-being of persons. Morality is structured
by concepts of harm, welfare, and fairness. The moral domain theory relates the moral social and
psychological aspects together, occurring at once, in order to form the child’s moral domain. It allows
them to relate situations. This consists of a “child’s moral development, their adherence to social
conventions and their views of themselves and others.”.

Albert Bandura’s Theory of Moral Development through Social

Learning
Albert Bandura recommends that children learn through social contacts and in this way we as grown-
ups are modeling behavior for children. They take that conduct that they see and they disguise that
conduct, they explore different avenues regarding it and it is through this experimentation of the
conduct that is displayed for them that they develop their own sense of moral self. Kids learn profound
quality through scholarly practices. Children observe the people around them behaving in different
ways, Individuals that are watched are called models. Children are encompassed by numerous
persuasive models, for example, guardians inside the family, characters on kids' TV, companions
inside their associate gathering and educators at the school. These models give examples of
behavior to observe and imitate.

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