Kohlberg’s Moral

Dilemma
 WHAT WE GOING TO LEARN

1. Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemma

2. Kohlberg Background
3. Stages of Moral Development
4. Criticism of Kohlberg's Theory
 1. KHOLBERG’S
MORAL DILEMMA
In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer.

There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her.
It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had
recently discovered.

The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging
ten times what the drug cost him to make.

He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a small dose
of the drug.

The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he

knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means,
but he could only get together about $2,000, which is half
of what it cost.
He told the druggist that his wife was dying, and
asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later.

But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug

and I'm going to make money from it.“

So, having tried every legal means, Heinz gets

anxious and considers breaking into the man's
store to steal the drug for his wife.
Should Heinz steal the drug?
Why or why not?
1. KHOLBERG
BACKGROUND
3. STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
A. PRECONVENTIONAL LEVEL
• Punishments and rewards dominate the
sense of right & wrong
• Morality is externally controlled
• Rules of authority figures must be respected.
• Behaviour that results in punishment are
bad
• Behaviour that results in rewards are good
 STAGE 1:Obedience and Punishment
Orientation
Morality is based upon the
physical punishment that
follows an action, rather
than right or wrong. The
concern is for self - "Will I
get into trouble for doing (or
not doing) it?" Good
behavior is associated with
avoiding punishment.
EXAMPLE: The child won’t
grab the candy at the
supermarket for fear of
being slapped
STAGE 2: Relativist Orientation
• The concern is "What's in
it for me?" Action is
judged right if it helps in
satisfying one's needs or
involves a fair exchange.

EXAMPLE: A mother tells

her child: “If you are quiet
at the mall, I will buy you
an ice cream.”
B. THE CONVENTIONAL LEVEL
• Needs of Laws and society are the defining
features.
• “Don't steal” because it is against the law
• Good behaviour is motivated to maintain the
affection and approval of friends and relatives
• Understand that standards are set for the current
social system, not getting that there is self-interest
involved (e.g., no such thing as a bad law)
 STAGE 3: Good Boy/Nice Girl
Orientation
People should live up to the
expectations of the family
and community and
behave in "good" ways.
Good behavior means
having good motives and
interpersonal feelings such
as love, empathy, trust,
and concern for others.

EXAMPLE: Volunteering at
a nursing home is the right
thing to do.
 STAGE 4: Law and Order Orientation
While stage three actions are
more concerned with
pleasing your family, stage
four is associated with
following society as a
whole. Emphasis is spent
on obeying laws to
maintain social order.

EXAMPLE: If you drink and

drive your endangering
the lives of others on the
road, not just yourself.
 C. THE POSTCONVENTIONAL
LEVEL
• Personal moral beliefs and values

• Characterized by references to
universal ethical principles that
represent protecting the rights or of
all people
• Most adults do not reach this level.
STAGE 5: Social Contract Orientation
At stage 4, people want to keep
society functioning. However,
a smoothly functioning
society is not necessarily a
good one. Nazi Germany was
a well organized society, but
nine million were murdered
in the process.

At stage 5, people begin to ask,

"What makes for a good
society?" They begin to think
about society considering the
rights and values that a
society ought to uphold.
 STAGE 6: Universal Ethical Principal
Orientation
As human beings we are
obligated to live by the
principal that “all men are
created equal” regardless of
race, religion, sexual
orientation, or political
belief. Justice is universal, so
unjust laws must be broken.

EX: Rosa Parks refused to sit in

the back of the bus because it
was an unjust law
discriminating against
African Americans.
4. CRITICISMS