What Is Moral Development?

Moral development is the process by which people develop the distinction between right and
wrong (morality) and engage in reasoning between the two (moral reasoning).

What are the stages of cognitive development?

Children undergo four distinct stages of cognitive development. These stages include
sensorimotor stage (0-2 years old), preoperational stage (2-7 years old), concrete operational
stage (7-11 years old), and formal operational stage (12 years and older).

What does cognitive development mean?

Cognitive development means the development of the ability to think and reason.

Cognitive development refers to the growth and change of thinking processes and intellectual
abilities of an individual. It shapes a person's ability to interact with the environment.

Children ages 6 to 12, usually think in concrete ways (concrete operations). This can
include things like how to combine, separate, order, and transform objects and
actions.

What is an example of cognitive development?

An example of cognitive development is when infants start to form memory skills and are able
to recall the voices of their parents or recognize their faces. In adolescence, memory
development allows the teenagers to solve complex mathematical concepts and easily retrieve
information.

What is cognitive moral development theory?

Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of cognitive-moral development focuses on the process of thinking

about moral issues rather than on moral values themselves.

Kohlberg’s Stages Of Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg (1958) agreed with Piaget’s (1932) theory of moral
development in principle but wanted to develop his ideas further.
Key Takeaways

 LawrenceKohlberg formulated a theory asserting that individuals progress

through six distinct stages of moral reasoning from infancy to adulthood.

 Hegrouped these stages into three broad categories of moral reasoning, pre-
conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Each level is associated
with increasingly complex stages of moral development.

 Kohlbergsuggested that people move through these stages in a fixed order

and that moral understanding is linked to cognitive development.
Kohlberg’s levels of moral development are as follows: The Preconventional
level: children accept the authority (and moral code) of others. If an action leads to
punishment, it must be bad. If it leads to a reward, it must be good. There is also a
sense in which decisions concerning what is good are defined in terms of what is
good for us. The Conventional level: children believe that social rules and the
expectations of others determine what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior. A
social system that stresses the responsibilities of relationships and social order is
seen as desirable and must, therefore, influence our views of right and wrong.
The Postconventional level: here what is right is based on an individual’s
understanding of universal ethical principles. What is considered morally acceptable
in any given situation is determined by what is the response most in keeping with
these principles.

Kohlberg identified three levels of moral reasoning: preconventional,

conventional, and postconventional. Each level has two sub-stages.
People can only pass through these levels in the order listed. Each new stage replaces
the reasoning typical of the earlier stage. Not everyone achieves all the stages.

Level Stage Definition

Moral reasoning is
1. Avoiding
Preconventional based on direct
Punishment
consequences.

Actions are seen in

2. Self- terms of rewards
Interest rather than moral
value.

Good behavior is
3. Good boy about living up to
Conventional
attitude social expectations
and roles.

4. Law & Moral reasoning

Order considers societal
Morality laws.
 Level Stage Definition

Rules are seen as

5. Social social agreements
Postconventional
Contract that can be changed
when necessary.

Moral reasoning is
6. Universal based on universal
Principles ethical principles and
justice.

Level 1 – Preconventional Morality

Preconventional morality is the first level of moral development, lasting until
approximately age 8. During this level, children accept the authority (and moral
code) of others.

Preconventional morality is when people follow rules because they don’t want to get
in trouble or they want to get a reward. This level of morality is mostly based on
what authority figures like parents or teachers tell you to do rather than what you
think is right or wrong.

Authority is outside the individual, and children often make moral decisions based
on the physical consequences of actions.

For example, if an action leads to punishment, it must be bad; if it leads to a reward,

it must be good.

So, people at this level don’t have their own personal sense of right and wrong yet.
They think that something is good if they get rewarded for it and bad if they get
punished for it.

For example, if you get candy for behaving, you think you were good, but if you get a
scolding for misbehaving, you think you were bad.

At the preconventional level, children don’t have a personal code of morality.

Instead, moral decisions are shaped by the standards of adults and the consequences
of following or breaking their rules.
Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation. The child/individual is
good to avoid being punished. If a person is punished, they must have done
wrong.
Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange. At this stage, children recognize that
there is not just one right view handed down by the authorities. Different
individuals have different viewpoints.

Level 2 – Conventional Morality

Conventional morality is the adolescent phase of moral development focused on
societal norms and external expectations to discern right from wrong, often
grounded in tradition, cultural practices, or established codes of conduct.

We internalize the moral standards of valued adult role models at the conventional
level (most adolescents and adults).

Authority is internalized but not questioned, and reasoning is based on the group’s
norms to which the person belongs.

A social system that stresses the responsibilities of relationships and social order is
seen as desirable and must influence our view of right and wrong.

So, people who follow conventional morality believe that it’s important to follow
society’s rules and expectations to maintain order and prevent problems.

For example, refusing to cheat on a test is a part of conventional morality because

cheating can harm the academic system and create societal problems.

Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships. The child/individual is good to

be seen as being a good person by others. Therefore, answers relate to the
approval of others.
Stage 4. Law and Order Morality. The child/individual becomes aware of the
wider rules of society, so judgments concern obeying the rules to uphold the law
and avoid guilt.

Level 3 – Postconventional Morality

Postconventional morality is the third level of moral development and is
characterized by an individual’s understanding of universal ethical principles.

Postconventional morality is when people decide based on what they think is right
rather than just following the rules of society. This means that people at this level of
morality have their own ethical principles and values and don’t just do what society
tells them to do.

At this level, people think about what is fair, what is just, and what values are
important.

What is considered morally acceptable in any given situation is determined by what

is the response most in keeping with these principles.

They also think about how their choices might affect others and try to make good
decisions for everyone, not just themselves.

Values are abstract and ill-defined but might include: the preservation of life at all
costs and the importance of human dignity. Individual judgment is based on self-
chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on individual rights and justice.

According to Kohlberg, this level of moral reasoning is as far as most people get.

Only 10-15% are capable of abstract thinking necessary for stage 5 or 6 (post-
conventional morality). That is to say, most people take their moral views from those
around them, and only a minority think through ethical principles for themselves.

Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. The child/individual

becomes aware that while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest
number, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular
individuals.

The issues are not always clear-cut. For example, in Heinz’s dilemma, the
protection of life is more important than breaking the law against stealing.

Stage 6. Universal Principles. People at this stage have developed their own
set of moral guidelines, which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply to
everyone. E.g., human rights, justice, and equality.
The person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means
going against the rest of society in the process and having to pay the
consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment.

Kohlberg doubted few people had reached this stage.

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