Kohlberg’s

Strategies of Moral
Development
OBJECTIVES:
Describe Kohlberg’s
theory of moral And also for teacher
development and the and parents to
01 stages of reasoning. 02 understand how this
theory help their kids’
moral development.
To explain how this
theory is relevant for
03 children of different
ages.
 !
hey
 

Born October 25, 1927, Bronxville, New York, U.S.—died

January 17, 1987, Boston, Massachusetts), He was born wealthy, but
choose to be sailor and began interested in moral reasoning.
Kohlberg’s theory was highly influential, especially in psychology and
education. No other account had provided such a detailed explanation
of children’s moral development. 
 Kohlberg
Psychology on
Moral Development
 Heinz’s wife was dying from a particular type of cancer. Doctors said a
new drug might save her. The drug had been discovered by a local chemist,
and the Heinz tried desperately to buy some, but the chemist was charging
ten times the money it cost to make the drug, and this was much more than
the Heinz could afford.
Heinz could only raise half the money, even after help from family and
friends. He explained to the chemist that his wife was dying and asked if he
could have the drug cheaper or pay the rest of the money later.
The chemist refused, saying that he had discovered the drug and was
going to make money from it. The husband was desperate to save his wife,
so later that night he broke into the chemist’s and stole the drug.
Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug for his
wife? Why or why not?
 02
01 He did not aim to judge whether
the responses were right and
wrong. He was interested in
He believed that children form analyzing the moral reasoning
ways of thinking through their behind the responses.
experiences which
include understandings of
moral concepts such as justice,
rights, equality and human
welfare.
KOHLBERG’S THEORY OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
LEVEL STAGES DESCRIPTION
PUNISHMENT/OBEDIENCE.
 
PRECONVENTIONAL   One is motivated by fear of punishment. He will act in order to avoid punishment.

1
MUTUAL BENEFIT.
 
2 One is motivated to act by the benefit that one may obtain later. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

  SOCIAL APPROVAL.
 
 
3 One is motivated by what others expect in behavior- good boy, good girl. The person acts because
CONVENTIONAL he/she values how he/she appear to others. He/she give importance on what people will think or say.

 
    LAW AND ORDER.

  4 One is motivated to act in order to uphold law and order. The person will follow the law because it is the
law.
POST- CONVENTIONAL SOCIAL CONTRACT.
 
5 Laws that are wrong can be changed. One will act based on social and the common goods.

UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLE.
 
6 This is associated with the development of one’s conscience. Having a set of standards that drives one to
posses’ moral responsibility to make societal change regardless of consequences to oneself.
THANKYOU !!!