Kohlberg’s Moral Kohlberg’s Moral Development TheoryDevelopment Theory

Harvard Center for Moral EducationHarvard Center for Moral Education 20 years of using interviews to 20 years of using interviews to

investigate the nature of moral investigate the nature of moral thought, by classifying interview thought, by classifying interview responses to a story. The interviewee responses to a story. The interviewee answers a series of questions about answers a series of questions about the moral dilemmathe moral dilemma

From these answers Kohlberg From these answers Kohlberg hypothesizes three level of moral hypothesizes three level of moral developmentdevelopment

The Story of HeinzThe Story of Heinz In Europe, a woman was near death from a special In Europe, a woman was near death from a special

kind of cancer. There was one drug that the kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman's what the drug cost him to make. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together borrow the money, but he could only get together about $ 1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told about $ 1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm druggist said: "No, I discovered the drug and I'm going to make money from it."going to make money from it."

Kohlberg used this moral dilemma to Kohlberg used this moral dilemma to question various interviewees to question various interviewees to determine their moral thought determine their moral thought pattern. He would follow the story pattern. He would follow the story with, “Should Heinz steal the drug?”with, “Should Heinz steal the drug?”

What he was looking forWhat he was looking for

Kohlberg did not care about the yes Kohlberg did not care about the yes or no answer about stealing the drug, or no answer about stealing the drug, but rather the explanation behind the but rather the explanation behind the answeranswer

Kohlberg then broke down the Kohlberg then broke down the answers and developed the three answers and developed the three stages of moral development:stages of moral development:– Preconvention Preconvention – Conventional Conventional – Post conventionalPost conventional

Preconventional StagePreconventional Stage

Level 1.Obedience and Level 1.Obedience and punishment orientationpunishment orientation– Children obey because adults tell Children obey because adults tell

them to obey. People base their them to obey. People base their moral decision on fear of punishmentmoral decision on fear of punishment

Level 2. Self–interest orientationLevel 2. Self–interest orientation– Individuals pursue their own Individuals pursue their own

interests and expect others to do the interests and expect others to do the same – what is right involves equal same – what is right involves equal exchangeexchange

Conventional StageConventional Stage

Level 3. Mutual interpersonal Level 3. Mutual interpersonal expectations and conformityexpectations and conformity– Individuals value trust, caring, and Individuals value trust, caring, and

loyalty to others as a basis for loyalty to others as a basis for moral judgments- moral judgments-

– Want to live up to expectationsWant to live up to expectations

Level 4 Social system moralityLevel 4 Social system morality– Moral judgments based on social Moral judgments based on social

law law – The importance of doing one’s duty The importance of doing one’s duty – Maintaining the fabric of societyMaintaining the fabric of society

Postconventional StagePostconventional Stage

Level 5Level 5..Social contract and Individual Social contract and Individual rightsrights– Individuals reason that values, rights Individuals reason that values, rights

and principles may transcend the law – and principles may transcend the law – difference between moral and legal rightdifference between moral and legal right

Level 6.Universal ethical principlesLevel 6.Universal ethical principles– Individual principles of conscience and Individual principles of conscience and

justicejustice