Belief-

Beliefs in an eth ical code are standards of though t. Beliefs are criteria of abstract thought that
does not necessari ly evoke action. lt may instigate or forces cettain quest in the environment
that coheres one to behave in a certa in manner.

Beliefs are an1ong the most primitive and central of 1nental constructs, and yet there is little
agreen1ent as to what they are or how they shou ld be construed. They are basic to our
understanding of a wide range of central phenomena in 1nodern psychology. For example our
beliefs are key componen ts of our personalities and senses of identity, and our expressions of
bel iefs often defme us to.Others. Many of our reactions to others are based on our beliefs and
our perceptions of theirs, and it is impossible to understand racisn1, prejudice, religious and
national conflicts without considering disagree1nent in basic belief syste1ns.

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Judgment.

Lawrence Koh lberg developed a theory describing the developmen t or mora l judgmen t based
on concepts of objectivi ty, ju stice, and
fairness. His research originally was focused on boys aged ten to sixteen, and was later refined
and revised. His theory illustrates the develop111ent of 111oral judgment proceeding through
three levels, each with two stages.

Pre-conventional Level

At the pre-conventiona l level, a child responds to cultural rules and labels of good or bad, right
or wrong, based upon the conseq uences of the behavior such as reward or pun ishmen t, and
the power of the person who expresses the rules.

STAGE l: Punisb1nent Obedience Orientation.

• Avoidance of pun ish111ent and deference to power are valued and the physical
consequences of action detern1ine its goodness or badness.

• Example: It would be bad for me to take my friend's toy because

the teacher will punish me.