Correct Answer - Option 4 : None of the above
Lawrence Kohlberg, an American psychologist, has propounded the 'Theory of Moral Development.
- He has made a systematic study of moral development in his theory that is categorized into 3 levels and 6 stages.
- He created moral development theory by posing moral dilemmas to groups of children as well as adolescents and adults.
- According to Kohlberg moral dilemma is the thinking process involved in judgments about questions of right & wrong.
Kohlberg's stages of moral development:
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Pre-conventional morality
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- It is the first stage of moral development and lasts until approximately age 9.
- At the pre-conventional level children don’t have a personal code of morality, and instead moral decisions are shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences of following or breaking their rules.
- It is on the basis of existing social norms.
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For example, if an action leads to punishment is must be bad, and if it leads to a reward is must be good.
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| Conventional morality |
- It is the second stage of moral development and is characterized by an acceptance of social rules concerning right and wrong.
- At the conventional level (most adolescents and adults), begin to internalize the moral standards of their adult role models.
- Authority is internalized but not questioned, and reasoning is based on the norms of the group to which the person belongs.
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Post-conventional morality
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- The third stage of moral development, and is characterized by an individuals’ understanding of universal ethical principles.
- These are abstract and ill-defined but might include: the preservation of life at all costs, and the importance of human dignity.
- Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice.
- According to Kohlberg this level of moral reasoning is as far as most people get.
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Hence, it could be concluded that Kohlberg’s theory is based on moral development, so none of the above is the correct answer.
