Moral Agent & Theories

of Moral
development
Kohlberg's 6 stages of Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg
>
-
professor of education x social Psychology at Harvard Uni

i began as a developmental psychologist -> then moved to the field of education

I influenced by
pager famousformoraletof
a

children
iii particularly well known for his theory of moral development
- research
developed through his extensive on the
topic at

Harvard's center for moral education .

Theory of development-derived from his interviews with young boys

distributed from early childhood to late adolescence

In the Interview asked participants respond to hypothetical ethical

:
to

dilemmas
↳
a man contemplating on stealing a drug to save his
dying
wife because he cannot afford the drug after exhausting all posibilities

<o payfor ltow a pattern of responses which suggest a

-

progression in moral reasoning

-

t This birthed the theory of moral development

E behavior
the basis for ethical

Moral development-specific process & time

↳ followed the
development of moral judgment - beyond the ages
↳ logic x
morality develop through originally studied by piaget
constructive stages
>
-

Expanded considerably on this groundwork

 ↳ process of moral development was principally concerned wh
justice
↳ development continued throughout the lifespan
- even
spawning dialogue of philosophical Implications of his research

SIX STAGES
classified into the ff :

>
-
Each level has estages
preconventional level
conventional Il
↳ Each has a
corresponding
2.
Orientation
.
3
post conventional

preconventional level-consequences of one's action

Acc to Kohlberg
↳ persons simply pursue their own interest while at the same time
external consequences
avoid sanctions
↳ that certain
↳ children base their judgments on external consequences/ actions engender
>
-

Punishment
-
& reward (
children have not yet
>
-

Obedience is based on
authority internalized the society's conventions
-
morality about what is righa wrong
> externally
-
controlled
>
- accept & believe the rules imposed by authority figures
L
parents teachers
, ,
& community
leaders
1st stage punishment & authority
-

↳ child avoid
obeys the rules to punishment
2nd stage -

one's own interest advantage

or

↳ moral decisions are made based on the rewards one can receive

moral
reasoning-limited interest in others
& concern for others is based on Instrumental reason
Ex
"
.

scratch my back & I'll scratch yours"

 conventional level -
child is concerned wt
more

societal relationship wh emphasis on social conformity

ACC to Kohlberg
↳ Indiv strives to
support rules that are set forth by others
↑ parents, peers & the government Indiv Seldom question
,

↳ rulesa conventions somewhat rigid -

>

societal order
↳ ensure positive relationships &
↳ more concerned wh the opinions of others

Moral decisions-based on what the others

may say
>
-

behaving accordingly will necessarily ensure positive

relationships
a societal order
-
The
x- group acceptance
rule of the day
3rd Stage
-

↳ behavior that seeks to do that which gains the approval of

peets
.

↳ to maintain good relationships wh others

Kohlberg says-reaction of others are somehow the basis of decision
behavior
making
upholding the law order children blindly
the law to maintain a

obey
4th Stage
C
-

legalistic orientation well functioning society

↳ obedience to law responding to the obligations of duty &

E respect those in authority
,

↳ Important out there is a high value in obeying the

law than by seeking the approval of one's peers

Moral reasoning- > beyond the need of individual approval

post conventional level-common good
moral principles
a universal
-

* most
challenging level
ACC to Kohlberg
↳ make universal moral principles
judgment based on impartial
↳ even when societal standards
it
may conflict ooh
morality
-

abstract principlesx values

↓ Indiv must be repelled , if not eliminated
believe some laws are unjust
 ACC to Kohlberg
↳
Indivs are separate entities from society
↳ may disobey rules that are inconsistent wh their own beliefs &

principles
↳ live by their own ethical
&
principles
↳ basic human rights
↳ righ to life
, liberty ,
Justice

↳ rules as useful but always changeable

& rules
laws considered significant mechanism for
maintaining
& order In
harmony society

5th stage common good

-

↳ ↳ understanding of social mutuality

a
genuine interest in

the welfare of other

&
laws a rules
-

-
sociate
of the
good
community a for equal protections of mair
contracts
rights
ONLY be accepted
relative to the common good of society

I Justice dignity
, , equality
6th
Stage
-

respect for universal principle

for Kohlberg
↳ basis of one's Not
just the common good social
action is or a contract

& But deeper universal principles

Moral decision . Not
just based on the laws & rules of the society but on one's CONSCIENCE

Indiv grow & develop in progression

> Indiv cannot from stage to the other
Jump one
-

> ones
-

moral development is linear X is ordered hierarchically

 MORAL A GENITS
↑ &

-Listening to
THE MORALITY
OF THE HUMAN
out feeling

Framework proposed by James Rest

ACT ↳
Four steps Acting to
moral awareness Ethically
the
Issue 1 . Moral awareness -

people must perceive

↑ Theres moral the coarse of action that
always an > 2
-
Ability to decide
decision
ethical Issue
making is morally ethical
.
3 Moral intent
moral > 4
- .

motivation & courage to act upon that

action desire

Attention
Selective = focus on specific aspects influencing decisions

Ethical rading oradual disappearance of ethical considerations

=

Moral Myopia : Narrow focus on immediate outcomes , Ignoring ethical Implications

Moral Intuition -

but feeling guiding ethical choices

- Indiv
Personal Responsibility obligation to uphold ethical standards

moral decision making

>
-

self serving bias-unconsciously influence our ethical decisions , leading us to

make choices that benefit ourselves but may not seem fair or justifiable to

others .

↳ important to be aware of this plas & take steps to combat it

make more objective ethical choices
N
~ Ethical decision can be influenced by cultural factors
making .

Ex
people showed self serving bias when considering who should
pay legal expenses
In a lawsuit.
↳ Relying on
gut instinct
↳ Important to consider objective third party perspectives
 Ethical decision is often influenced emotions rather
making by
than reasonintuitive system is not always reliable

but feeling + rational

analysis
T
-
to make ethical choices
that
encourages open discussions about ethical
>
support system
-

dilemmas can
provide insights & guidance .

Moral Intent
Rationalization-enables good ppl to justify bad actions

↳
Challenging monitoring

our actions can make unethical

>
-

Denying harm caused by behaviors

seem less significant
allows
>
Blaming the victim us to rationalize our
wrong doings by
-

L attributing fault to the

person we harm
unfair & unethical mindset
>
-

comparing our actions to those of others will lead us to believe

7

( that what doing

we ar is not .
so bad

flawed justification

>
-
mistreatment justifies wrongdoing can lead to a cycle of whethical
behavior .

moral action
Moral ownership-taking responsibility for the ethical nature of
our actions x battling the forces that can hinder ethical judgments
↳
consciously avoiding ethical fading & maintaining a broad perspective
to prevent moral myopia
.
 moral efficacy -

beliefIn our ability to act

ethically & influece others to

do the same
* "Power of one" -

empower indiv to make a difference by

persuading others to change their minds

Moral
courage translate moral decisions into action
-

↳
Involves being committed to moral principles of the risks involved
,
, aware

X willing to endure those risks

>
-

Normalizing the idea of

taking career threatening risks to
preserve
-
Strengthen our commitment our best
Integrity to
being
selves .

>
open channels for criticism & accountability
-

L important evaluating decisions maintaining moral

M
in &

Integrity

>
Developing strength of character & Internal
-

courage
A necessary to stick up for what we believe in a known we are

In the right