Lawrence Kohlberg

Theory of moral development

1927- -1987

Getting to know Kohlberg• 1927-1987• Born into wealth • volunteered as a sailor in WW2• attended Philips Academy as a teenager(known more for his

mischief and not his scholarship)• After graduating he enrolled as an engineer on a carrier ship• he smuggled Jewish people from Europe to Palestine (put beds in

banana crates) • after returning from war Kohlberg enrolled at the University of

Chicago• He completed his bachelors degree in just one year (1949) (age 23)• He grew increasingly fascinated in the cognitive development work

prospected by Swiss theorist Jean Piaget• 1958-1986 taught at the University of Chicago -primarily affiliated

with the committee on human development

cont.• He got married and had 2 children• 1968 accepted a position at Harvard University taught both education

and social psychology• 1969- visited Israel and was inspired by the moral development of

children who went through the journey know as the kibbutz• this experience inspired him to create a “just community”• the “just communities” were mainly in primary schools and in some

prisons (1st just community was in The Cluster School)• “Just communities”= were school environments in which students

were encouraged and supported to form relationships of basic trust and respect with one another, and these school communities provided students the opportunity to be self-governed, and encouraged a democratic form of government within each community.

Saying goodbye to Kohlberg• In 1971-contracted a tropical disease while

completing research in Belize– causing physical pain and depression– persisted for 6 years

• January 19th 1987 Kohlberg took a one day leave of absence from the hospital who was giving him treatment for his illness• he then drove himself to the coast and drowned himself• January 19th is not declared the definite day of death • a year later they pulled Dr. Kohlberg's body out of the Boston harbor • 600 Harvard students gathered and declared April 15th as Lawrence Kohlberg Day

What he believed

• Could only progress through the stages one at a time

• no “jumping” stages• present people with moral dilemmas to help

obtain a higher level• Kohlberg +Piaget = most moral development

poccurs through social interaction.

The 6 stages of thinking

• These 6 stages are the broken down bits of the 3 levels of development.

3 levels of development

• level 1= the pre-convention level

• Level 2= the conventional level

• Level 3= the post-conventional level

The 1st level of thinking

• Generally found at the elementary age• This is when people behave to the socially

acceptable norm because they are told to by an authoritative figure

• compelled by a threat or punishment• characterized by a view that the right

behavior means acting in one’s own best interest

The 2nd level of thinking

• an attitude which seeks to do what will gain the approval of others

• one oriented to abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty

The 3rd level of thinking

• understanding of social mutuality and a genuine interest in the welfare of others

• based on respect for universal principle and the demands of individual conscience

• “while Kohlberg always believes that the 6th stage exists and had some nominees for it, he could never get enough subjects to define it, much less observe their movements to it.

Examples of Stages 1 Through 6

The following are examples of each stage at each of Kohlberg's levels.*********************************************************

• Stage 1: I do not say bad words because if I do, mommy will get mad at me.

• Stage 2: For a cookie, I will pick up my toys. • Stage 3: I do not eat in class because my teacher does not like it. • Stage 4: I do not talk during a fire drill because that is one of the rules.• Stage 5: I pay taxes because it is the law. • Stage 6: I pay taxes not because it is the law, but because it is the right

thing to do.

• Kohlberg suggest that over 50% of late adolescents and adults are capable of full formal reasoning

• Only 10% of these adults display principles of stages 5&6 of moral reasoning

• found that maturity of moral judgment is not highly related to IQ or verbal intelligence

• His model has been criticized because it focuses on moral reasoning rather than actual behavior as well as it tends to represent only males

Watching Kohlberg’s theory

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgjuS6O7ji8

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDx0wC3KhY =AP psychology project

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77uRQeu_pUQ =Rafe Esquith

References

• http://www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/kohlberg01bk.htm

• http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm

• http://relong.myweb.uga.edu/ • Parkay, Forrest: becoming a teacher pg 297-

298