Is It Right or Wrong? Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Thinking

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Is It Right or Wrong? Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Thinking

Educational Psychology · Chapter 5: Identity, Language, Morality, and the Whole ChildSection 5.5 · lesson 42 of 1008 min · free with a free account

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In this lesson

Three levels, six stages, and why the reasoning matters more than the verdict.

  • Describe Kohlberg's three levels and six stages
  • Use the Heinz dilemma to identify reasoning rather than verdicts
  • Facilitate a moral dilemma discussion that produces stage progression
  • State the main criticisms of Kohlberg's theory

Transcript

Everything said in the video, section by section (1,125 words). Read along, or search it.

Identity, Language, Morality, and the Whole Child

Is It Right or Wrong? Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Thinking

Two students give the same answer to a moral question. One is reasoning about punishment. The other is reasoning about justice. The answer looks identical, and the thinking behind it is not. This section covers Kohlberg's stages of moral reasoning. We will go through three levels and six stages. We will use the Heinz dilemma, which is the standard tool. We will look at how to run a moral dilemma discussion in class. And at two serious criticisms of the theory. One about who was studied, and one about the gap between thought and action. The central move is to look at reasoning rather than at conclusions.

The Approach

Not What You Decide. Why.

Lawrence Kohlberg extended Piaget's work on moral judgment. He built it into a comprehensive stage theory. His method was hypothetical moral dilemmas. The most famous is the Heinz dilemma, which we will come to. He analyzed reasoning patterns across age groups. And identified six distinct stages, organized into three levels. Now notice the methodological move that makes this work. Kohlberg was not interested in what people believe is right. He was interested in why they believe it. The reasoning process itself, rather than the final verdict. Which has a consequence people miss. Two people can give opposite answers from the same stage. And identical answers from very different stages.

The Claims

Sequential, Invariant, Universal

Kohlberg made three strong claims about these stages. They are sequential. Everyone passes through in the same order. They are invariant. No stage is skipped. And they are universal. The sequence holds across cultures. But there is an important qualification. Not everyone reaches the highest stages. Kohlberg found that many adults operate at stage three or four. Stage five is uncommon, and stage six is rare. So what drives progress up the sequence? Two things. Cognitive development, which makes new reasoning possible. And exposure to moral conflict that challenges existing reasoning. That second one is something a teacher can actually provide.

Level One

Preconventional Reasoning

Level one is preconventional reasoning. It is typical of young children. Moral judgments rest on personal consequences. Stage one is obedience and punishment. The motivation is to avoid punishment. Morality is equated with obedience to authority. Stage two is instrumental purpose. The motivation is to satisfy one's own needs. Fairness at this stage becomes a matter of exchange. You did something for me, so I will do something for you. Notice what both stages have in common. Neither takes the perspective of the group. The question being answered is what happens to me.

Level Two

Conventional Reasoning

Level two is conventional reasoning. It characterizes most adolescents, and most adults. Judgments now rest on social rules and norms. And on the expectations of other people. Stage three is sometimes called good boy or good girl. The focus is maintaining relationships and gaining approval. Stage four is law and order. The focus is upholding societal rules, and civic duty. This is where most people live, most of the time. And that is not a criticism of them. Conventional reasoning is what makes shared social life workable. It is also the level most institutions are designed around.

Level Three

Postconventional Reasoning

Level three is postconventional reasoning. It involves principled thinking. Judgments based on abstract principles and social contracts. Stage five is the social contract stage. It recognizes that laws reflect social agreements. And that those agreements can be changed through legitimate processes. Stage six is universal ethical principles. It applies abstract principles such as justice and human dignity. Above any particular law. One caution about stage six in a classroom. Its language is easy to imitate, and students learn to produce it. What distinguishes the real thing is consistency. Whether the principle still applies when applying it is costly.

The Heinz Dilemma

One Scenario, Six Readings

The Heinz dilemma is the classic instrument. A man must decide whether to steal a drug he cannot afford. The drug would save his wife's life. And here is what makes it useful. The dilemma reveals the reasoning stage of the respondent. Regardless of whether they say yes or no. Consider three responses. He should steal it because he needs his wife. That is stage two. He should not steal, because stealing is against the law. Stage four. Laws should be re-examined when they conflict with human life. Stage five. Two of those say he should steal, and two do not. The split does not run along the same line as the stages.

All Six

Motivation and Sample Response

Set out all six stages with their motivations. Stage one, punishment. Avoid punishment. He shouldn't steal, or he'll go to jail. Stage two, instrumental purpose. Satisfy your own needs. He should steal it; he needs his wife. Stage three, good boy or good girl. Gain approval. A good husband would do anything for his wife. Stage four, law and order. Uphold the rules. Stealing is wrong regardless of the reason. Stage five, social contract. Democratic principle. The law is unjust if it allows someone to die. And stage six, universal ethics. Human life has inherent value above any law.

Key Idea

Dilemmas Are for Thinking, Not Answering

Here is the key idea for teaching with dilemmas. The Heinz dilemma is not designed to produce a correct answer. Neither are the scenarios modeled on it. Their pedagogical value lies in exposing the reasoning process. And there is a specific mechanism that makes discussion work. When teachers present dilemmas and facilitate discussion, students encounter reasoning one stage above their own. Kohlberg identified that productive cognitive conflict as the primary driver of moral stage progression. Which sets the goal of the discussion. The goal is not consensus. It is thinking. A discussion that ends in comfortable agreement may have failed.

In Practice

Charting the Reasoning Aloud

Watch that principle applied in a high school ethics lesson. The teacher presents a scenario students recognize. A student discovers a classmate cheating during an exam. First, students write individual responses. Before hearing anyone else's, which protects their actual reasoning. Then they discuss in small groups. Then the teacher charts the reasoning patterns on the board. And a pattern appears. Most students cite approval, or rules. Stages three and four. A few articulate social fairness arguments, at stage five. By naming the reasoning levels aloud, she makes moral thinking visible. Students can now see there are different kinds of argument, not just answers.

Limitations

Two Serious Criticisms

Two criticisms of Kohlberg deserve serious attention. The first concerns his sample and his orientation. The stages were developed primarily using male participants. And they may reflect a justice-based orientation. One that overlooks care-based moral reasoning. Carol Gilligan's work offers an important corrective, and we cover it next. The second criticism is about scope. Kohlberg's stages describe how people reason. Not necessarily how they behave. That gap between moral judgment and moral action is real. And educators have to address it directly. A student who produces stage five reasoning in a discussion may still act at stage one when the consequence is immediate and personal.

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FAQ

Questions students ask us

About Is It Right or Wrong? Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Thinking

What are Kohlberg's stages of moral development?
Lawrence Kohlberg described three levels with two stages each. The preconventional level includes stage 1, obedience and punishment, and stage 2, instrumental purpose or exchange. The conventional level includes stage 3, seeking approval as a good boy or good girl, and stage 4, law and order. The postconventional level includes stage 5, social contract, and stage 6, universal ethical principles. Kohlberg found many adults reason at stage 3 or 4, and stage 6 is rare.
What is the Heinz dilemma?
The Heinz dilemma is Kohlberg's best-known hypothetical moral problem, in which a man must decide whether to steal a drug he cannot afford in order to save his wife's life. Its purpose is to reveal the respondent's reasoning stage, not to find a correct answer. Saying he should steal because he needs his wife reflects stage 2, while arguing that laws should be re-examined when they conflict with human life reflects stage 5, so the same verdict can come from different stages.
How can teachers use moral dilemmas in the classroom?
Teachers can use moral dilemmas to expose reasoning rather than to reach a correct answer or consensus. Kohlberg saw exposure to reasoning one stage above one's own as the main driver of moral stage progression. A practical sequence is to have students write individual responses first, then discuss in small groups, and then chart the reasoning patterns on the board, which makes the different kinds of moral argument visible to the class.
What are the main criticisms of Kohlberg's theory of moral development?
Two criticisms stand out. First, Kohlberg developed his stages mainly with male participants, and the theory may reflect a justice-based orientation that overlooks care-based reasoning, a point raised by Carol Gilligan. Second, the stages describe how people reason, not necessarily how they behave, so there is a real gap between moral judgment and moral action. A student who argues at stage 5 in discussion may still act at a lower level under immediate pressure.

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