Question

In the middle and late childhood years, development of self-understanding and understanding others becomes more sophisticated and emotional understanding improves moral reasoning advances. Review Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development.

Write a brief description of each of the six stages.

Find a newspaper, Internet journal, or magazine article that you feel relates to Kohlberg’s Moral Development.

Summarize the key issues and perspectives from the article, in light of the Kohlberg Theory. Be sure to discuss the issues from a scholar as opposed to a religious viewpoint. Include a copy of the article Internet source site as a link.

Answer 1

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development.

LEVEL 1 PRE CONVENTIONAL MORALITY : RIGHT AND WONG DETREMINED BY PUNISHMENTS AND REWARDS.

STAGE 1 : WHATEVER LEAD TO PUNISHMENT IS WRONG.

STAGE 2 : THE RIGHT WAY TO BEHAVE IS THE WAY ITS BEEN REWARDED.

AGE RANGE :Seen in preschool children, most elementary school students, some junior high school students, and a few high school students.

LEVEL 2 CONVENTIONAL MORALITY : VIEWS OF OTHERS MATTER , SEEKING APPROVAL, AVOIDANCE OF BLAME.

STAGE 3 : BEHVAING IN WAYS THAT CONFORM TO GOOD BEHAVIOR.

STAGE 4: OBEDIENCE OF AUTHORITY AND DOING ONES DUTY.

AGE RANGE Seen in a few older elementary school students, some junior high school students, and many high school students .

LEVEL 3 : POST CONVENTIONAL MORALITY : ABSTRACT NOTIONS OF JUSTICE AND OTHERS RIGHTS OVERRIDE OBEDIENCE TO LAW.

STAGE 5 : DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MORAL AND LEGAL RIGHTS, RECOGNITION THAT RULES SOMETIMES BE BROKEN.

STAGE 6 : INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPLE OF CONSCIENCE, TAKE ACCOUNT OF LIKELY VIEWS OF EVERYONE AFFECTED BY A MORAL DECISION.

AGE RANGE Rarely seen before college (Stage 6 is extremely rare even in adults).

ISSUES related to THIS THEORY :

Kohlberg is often criticized for not only his subject selection, but also the methods by which he tries to extricate data from those subjects.

his descriptions of the various stages also seem very dependent upon the surroundings and social institutions that an individual would be subjected to.

Kohlberg's stages are merely methods by which one could fulfill these needs.

Reliability of Kohlberg's testing.

Regarding validity of Kohlberg's model in terms of the decision the person make based on the moral dilemmas. it is moral reasoning not development.

Kohlberg is biased against women. Kohlberg doesn't take into accountthe differences between men and women.