Much of Piaget’s theory was agreed to upon by Lawrence Kohlberg. Though he wanted to expand his ideas further. By using the same story technique that Piaget taught which were telling people stories that involved moral dilemmas. Kohlberg best known for the story involving a guy named Heinz.
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 then 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.
Kohlberg then asked multiple questions regarding the story.
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
2. Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3. What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4. Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?
By studying the answers from children of different ages to these questions, Kohlberg wanted to discover if moral reasoning changes as people grew older. Kohlberg’s Moral Development was primarily labeled as levels and the secondarily classified under stages.
Level 1 (Preconventional Morality) :
According to this stage children's ages nine and below don’t typically have a personal code of morality. Their moral code was shaped by the standards of adults and by the consequences of following the rules and breaking them.
Stage 1 (Obedience and Punishment Orientation): The child has a good behavior in order to avoid being punished. If the child ends up getting punished, they must have done something wrong.
Stage 2 (Individualism and Exchange): The child should recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down to them. Each individual has a different view point.
Level 2 (Conventional Morality) :
The questioned and reasoning towards adolescents and adults during this level are based on the norms of the group by which the person is categorized. We start to internalize the moral standards of valued adult role models.
Stage 3 (Good Interpersonal relationships): The person acts good upon his/herself in order to be seen as a good person by other people.
Stage 4 (Maintaining the Social Order): That becomes aware of the excessive rules of society, to avoid guilt that person obeys all the rules thoroughly.
Level 3 (Post Conventional Morality):
The individual must decide from their evidence and self chosen principles are based on individual rights and justice this accounts for 10-15% of adults and not before the mid 30’s.
Stage 5 (Social Contract and Individual Rights): The individual becomes aware that while the rules/laws might exist for the best, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals.The problems aren't always perfect.
Stage 6 (Universal Principles): People at this stage have created their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not meet the standards to fit the law. These people may go against the rest of society, at the end may lead to a few consequences. Kohlberg believed that few can reach this stage.
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 then 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.
Kohlberg then asked multiple questions regarding the story.
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
2. Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3. What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4. Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?
By studying the answers from children of different ages to these questions, Kohlberg wanted to discover if moral reasoning changes as people grew older. Kohlberg’s Moral Development was primarily labeled as levels and the secondarily classified under stages.
Level 1 (Preconventional Morality) :
According to this stage children's ages nine and below don’t typically have a personal code of morality. Their moral code was shaped by the standards of adults and by the consequences of following the rules and breaking them.
Stage 1 (Obedience and Punishment Orientation): The child has a good behavior in order to avoid being punished. If the child ends up getting punished, they must have done something wrong.
Stage 2 (Individualism and Exchange): The child should recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down to them. Each individual has a different view point.
Level 2 (Conventional Morality) :
The questioned and reasoning towards adolescents and adults during this level are based on the norms of the group by which the person is categorized. We start to internalize the moral standards of valued adult role models.
Stage 3 (Good Interpersonal relationships): The person acts good upon his/herself in order to be seen as a good person by other people.
Stage 4 (Maintaining the Social Order): That becomes aware of the excessive rules of society, to avoid guilt that person obeys all the rules thoroughly.
Level 3 (Post Conventional Morality):
The individual must decide from their evidence and self chosen principles are based on individual rights and justice this accounts for 10-15% of adults and not before the mid 30’s.
Stage 5 (Social Contract and Individual Rights): The individual becomes aware that while the rules/laws might exist for the best, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals.The problems aren't always perfect.
Stage 6 (Universal Principles): People at this stage have created their own set of moral guidelines which may or may not meet the standards to fit the law. These people may go against the rest of society, at the end may lead to a few consequences. Kohlberg believed that few can reach this stage.