Stages of Moral Development

- Lawrence Kohlberg
Level 1 (Pre-Conventional)
Stage 1: Obedience and punishment orientation
 individuals focus on the direct consequences of
their actions on themselves.
Examples:
 "The last time I did that I got spanked, so I will
not do it again.“
 Lauren would give her father the money
because she doesn't want him to punish her
Level 1 (Pre-Conventional) Children
Stage 2. Self-interest orientation (Egocentric)
 people are motivated purely by self-interest.
  "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours"
mentality
 Latin words: quid pro quo, means doing or
giving something in order to get something in
return.
Level 2 (Conventional) Adolescent or adults
Stage 3: Interpersonal accord and conformity
 Individuals are receptive to approval or disapproval from
others as it reflects society's views.
 (people make moral decisions based on getting people to
like them)
Example: Lauren might decide to give her father the money
because this will improve her relationship with him; but if her
mother is upset that her father spent money they needed for
bills, she might decide to give the money to her mother in
order to be a 'good girl' in her eyes. 
Stage 4: Authority and social-order maintaining orientation
(Law and order morality)
 moral reasoning centers around maintaining a
functioning society by recognizing that laws are
more important than individual needs.
Example: Lauren probably would give her father the
extra money because not doing so, in her eyes,
equates to stealing from her family.
Level 3 (Post-Conventional)
Stage 5: Social contract orientation
- people will try to act in ways that achieve the most
good for the most number of people "the greatestc
good for the greatest number of people“
In this stage, This is achieved through majority
decision and inevitable compromise. Democratic
government is ostensibly based on stage five
reasoning.
Level 3 (Post-Conventional)
Stage 6: Universal ethical principles
(Principled conscience)
thinkers develop ethical principles and a sense of justice.
Actions are taken because they are right in themselves, not
because they help achieve other goals.
At stage six, we are guided by universal ethical
principles.
All those involved now have to face the
headmaster.
He first explains the school rules, and why they
exist. He then clarifies that rules are valid only if
they are grounded in justice. The commitment to
justice carries with it an obligation to disobey
unjust rules. The headmaster’s highest moral
principle is compassion. He believes that all
people should learn to understand each other’s
viewpoints and that they don’t feel alone with
their feelings. He asks: What are the abstract
ethical principles that serve my understandings
of justice?
Summary:
Pre-conventional decisions are based on the
direct consequences to the individual who is
perpetrating the morally questionable act. 
Conventional decisions are based on wanting
to please and to be accepted by others. And 
post-conventional decisions are based on an
individually formulated sense of justice and
respect for others.