Moral Agent & Theories
of Moral
development
Kohlberg's 6 stages of Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg
>
-
professor of education x social Psychology at Harvard Uni
i began as a developmental psychologist -> then moved to the field of education
I influenced by
pager famousformoraletof
a
children
iii particularly well known for his theory of moral development
- research
developed through his extensive on the
topic at
Harvard's center for moral education .
Theory of development-derived from his interviews with young boys
distributed from early childhood to late adolescence
In the Interview asked participants respond to hypothetical ethical
:
to
dilemmas
↳
a man contemplating on stealing a drug to save his
dying
wife because he cannot afford the drug after exhausting all posibilities
<o payfor ltow a pattern of responses which suggest a
-
progression in moral reasoning
-
t This birthed the theory of moral development
E behavior
the basis for ethical
Moral development-specific process & time
↳ followed the
development of moral judgment - beyond the ages
↳ logic x
morality develop through originally studied by piaget
constructive stages
>
-
Expanded considerably on this groundwork
↳ process of moral development was principally concerned wh
justice
↳ development continued throughout the lifespan
- even
spawning dialogue of philosophical Implications of his research
SIX STAGES
classified into the ff :
>
-
Each level has estages
preconventional level
conventional Il
↳ Each has a
corresponding
2.
Orientation
.
3
post conventional
preconventional level-consequences of one's action
Acc to Kohlberg
↳ persons simply pursue their own interest while at the same time
external consequences
avoid sanctions
↳ that certain
↳ children base their judgments on external consequences/ actions engender
>
-
Punishment
-
& reward (
children have not yet
>
-
Obedience is based on
authority internalized the society's conventions
-
morality about what is righa wrong
> externally
-
controlled
>
- accept & believe the rules imposed by authority figures
L
parents teachers
, ,
& community
leaders
1st stage punishment & authority
-
↳ child avoid
obeys the rules to punishment
2nd stage -
one's own interest advantage
or
↳ moral decisions are made based on the rewards one can receive
moral
reasoning-limited interest in others
& concern for others is based on Instrumental reason
Ex
"
.
scratch my back & I'll scratch yours"
conventional level -
child is concerned wt
more
societal relationship wh emphasis on social conformity
ACC to Kohlberg
↳ Indiv strives to
support rules that are set forth by others
↑ parents, peers & the government Indiv Seldom question
,
↳ rulesa conventions somewhat rigid -
>
societal order
↳ ensure positive relationships &
↳ more concerned wh the opinions of others
Moral decisions-based on what the others
may say
>
-
behaving accordingly will necessarily ensure positive
relationships
a societal order
-
The
x- group acceptance
rule of the day
3rd Stage
-
↳ behavior that seeks to do that which gains the approval of
peets
.
↳ to maintain good relationships wh others
Kohlberg says-reaction of others are somehow the basis of decision
behavior
making
upholding the law order children blindly
the law to maintain a
obey
4th Stage
C
-
legalistic orientation well functioning society
↳ obedience to law responding to the obligations of duty &
E respect those in authority
,
↳ Important out there is a high value in obeying the
law than by seeking the approval of one's peers
Moral reasoning- > beyond the need of individual approval
post conventional level-common good
moral principles
a universal
-
* most
challenging level
ACC to Kohlberg
↳ make universal moral principles
judgment based on impartial
↳ even when societal standards
it
may conflict ooh
morality
-
abstract principlesx values
↓ Indiv must be repelled , if not eliminated
believe some laws are unjust
ACC to Kohlberg
↳
Indivs are separate entities from society
↳ may disobey rules that are inconsistent wh their own beliefs &
principles
↳ live by their own ethical
&
principles
↳ basic human rights
↳ righ to life
, liberty ,
Justice
↳ rules as useful but always changeable
& rules
laws considered significant mechanism for
maintaining
& order In
harmony society
5th stage common good
-
↳ ↳ understanding of social mutuality
a
genuine interest in
the welfare of other
&
laws a rules
-
-
sociate
of the
good
community a for equal protections of mair
contracts
rights
ONLY be accepted
relative to the common good of society
I Justice dignity
, , equality
6th
Stage
-
respect for universal principle
for Kohlberg
↳ basis of one's Not
just the common good social
action is or a contract
& But deeper universal principles
Moral decision . Not
just based on the laws & rules of the society but on one's CONSCIENCE
Indiv grow & develop in progression
> Indiv cannot from stage to the other
Jump one
-
> ones
-
moral development is linear X is ordered hierarchically
MORAL A GENITS
↑ &
-Listening to
THE MORALITY
OF THE HUMAN
out feeling
Framework proposed by James Rest
ACT ↳
Four steps Acting to
moral awareness Ethically
the
Issue 1 . Moral awareness -
people must perceive
↑ Theres moral the coarse of action that
always an > 2
-
Ability to decide
decision
ethical Issue
making is morally ethical
.
3 Moral intent
moral > 4
- .
motivation & courage to act upon that
action desire
Attention
Selective = focus on specific aspects influencing decisions
Ethical rading oradual disappearance of ethical considerations
=
Moral Myopia : Narrow focus on immediate outcomes , Ignoring ethical Implications
Moral Intuition -
but feeling guiding ethical choices
- Indiv
Personal Responsibility obligation to uphold ethical standards
moral decision making
>
-
self serving bias-unconsciously influence our ethical decisions , leading us to
make choices that benefit ourselves but may not seem fair or justifiable to
others .
↳ important to be aware of this plas & take steps to combat it
make more objective ethical choices
N
~ Ethical decision can be influenced by cultural factors
making .
Ex
people showed self serving bias when considering who should
pay legal expenses
In a lawsuit.
↳ Relying on
gut instinct
↳ Important to consider objective third party perspectives
Ethical decision is often influenced emotions rather
making by
than reasonintuitive system is not always reliable
but feeling + rational
analysis
T
-
to make ethical choices
that
encourages open discussions about ethical
>
support system
-
dilemmas can
provide insights & guidance .
Moral Intent
Rationalization-enables good ppl to justify bad actions
↳
Challenging monitoring
our actions can make unethical
>
-
Denying harm caused by behaviors
seem less significant
allows
>
Blaming the victim us to rationalize our
wrong doings by
-
L attributing fault to the
person we harm
unfair & unethical mindset
>
-
comparing our actions to those of others will lead us to believe
7
( that what doing
we ar is not .
so bad
flawed justification
>
-
mistreatment justifies wrongdoing can lead to a cycle of whethical
behavior .
moral action
Moral ownership-taking responsibility for the ethical nature of
our actions x battling the forces that can hinder ethical judgments
↳
consciously avoiding ethical fading & maintaining a broad perspective
to prevent moral myopia
.
moral efficacy -
beliefIn our ability to act
ethically & influece others to
do the same
* "Power of one" -
empower indiv to make a difference by
persuading others to change their minds
Moral
courage translate moral decisions into action
-
↳
Involves being committed to moral principles of the risks involved
,
, aware
X willing to endure those risks
>
-
Normalizing the idea of
taking career threatening risks to
preserve
-
Strengthen our commitment our best
Integrity to
being
selves .
>
open channels for criticism & accountability
-
L important evaluating decisions maintaining moral
M
in &
Integrity
>
Developing strength of character & Internal
-
courage
A necessary to stick up for what we believe in a known we are
In the right
