THE STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
Discussant: Instructor:
Ryan Macida. Mrs. Connie M. Balaguer
Rainier Ian Abila
Learning Outcomes:
> Describe each stage of moral development
> Evaluate one's personal growth against the stage
of personal development
INTRODUCTION:
> If a human has developedIf a human person has
developed a moral character, the facility act morally and
ethically is in his/her hands. What are the stages of moni
development that the human person as a moral agent
undergoes?
ABSTRACTION
>The moral agent is a human person capable of acting based on
right and wrong, possessing moral character. Social psychologists
view the moral agent as a person, influenced by their environment
from birth, growing up, and undergoing development within their
family and society.
>Moral development refers to the "process through which a
human person gains his/her beliefs, skills and dispositions that make
him/her a mature person. William A. Kay (1970) has the following to
say regarding the nature of moral development.
> Morality is a process that goes through stages controlled by
taboo, law, conscience, reciprocity, social consensus, and personal
moral principles, with each stage influencing the other, though not
necessarily in that order.
FOLLOWS:
> The amoral stage egocentric, hedonist and
Prudential Consideration.
> The pre - moral stage - authoritarian, ego -
Idealist, social and reciprocal consideration.
> The moral stage - personal, autonomous, altruistic
rational, Independent and responsible
Consideration.
> In the Activity phase of this lesson, analyze reasons for attending
school. A- moral's ego-idealist stage involves fear of failure and showing
parents, while pre-moral stage involves social consideration and moral
stage involves personal, autonomous, rational reasons.
KOHLBERG'S STAGE OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
> Moral development refers to the "process through which a
huma person, gains his/her beliefs, skills and dispositions that
makes him/her morally mature person". Kohlberg (2013)
describes the stages of mor development in 3 stages, namely:
Level 1-Preconventional morality, Leve 2-Conventional morality,
and Level 3-Post-Conventional morality. Each level has two
stages each so that there are six stages of moral development
They are described in detail below:
LEVEL 1: PRE - CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
> Kohlberg's theory identifies pre- conventional morality as
the lowest level of moral development, where children's moral code
is influenced by adult standards and consequences, without
internalizing moral values.
STAGE 1
OBEDIENCE AND FUNISHMENT
ORIENTATION
> Moral decisions are based on fear of punishment, as children
do good to avoid punishment. Children obey adults, as seen in
Josef's refusal to cheat or drop out of school.
STAGE 2
INSTRUMENTAL ORIENTATION
> Right behavior is defined by an individual's best interest, with
limited interest in others' needs. It's a matter of "you scratch my
back, I'll scratch yours" mentality, as seen in a child's behavior when
asked for a chore.
> In this stage, right involves equal exchange. eg. Mario sees
Juan get Miguel's pen. Soon he sees Miguel retaliate by taking
Juan's favorite pen. Mario does not report the incident to the teacher
because they involve equal exchanges.
LEVEL 2 : CONVENTIONAL
> During conventional level, children's morality is
tied to personal and societal relationships, adhering
rigidly to authority figures' rules to ensure positive
relationships and societal order.
STAGE 3:
"GOOD BOY. NICE GIRL" ORIENTATION
> In stage 3, children seek approval from others and prioritize
good behavior and kindness. They value caring and loyalty for
moral judgments. For example, a politician's actions during
calamities to appear "good boy" or "good girl" to electorates
demonstrate their stage 3 moral developmental stage. Examples
include showing good behavior to parents and teachers.
STAGE 4: LAW AND ORDER ORIENTATION.
> In stage 4, individuals become aware of societal rules, leading
to judgments about obeying them to uphold the law and avoid guilt,
despite morality still lacking internalization due to blind obedience.
LEVEL 3: POST CONVENTIONAL MORALITY.
> Kohlberg's level of moral reasoning is the most common
level of internalization, where individual judgment is based on
self-chosen principles and rights and justice.
STAGE 5:
> Social contract orientation teaches individuals that while
rules may benefit the majority, they may sometimes conflict with
specific interests, recognizing that values, rights, and principles
transcend law.
STAGE 6:
UNIVERSAL, ETHICAL, PRINCIPLE ORIENTATION
> Individuals at this stage develop moral guidelines based on
universal human rights, justice, and equality, even if it means
defending against societal disapproval or imprisonment. They
follow their conscience when faced with a dilemma between law
and conscience.
Kohlberg doubted few people reached this stage: (McLeod, 2013)
DEVELOPMENT OF CONSCIENCE
BASED MORAL DECISIONS
> Moral development involves conscience- based moral decision-
making, a post- conventional stage of Kohlberg's stages. Panizo
defines conscience as an act of reason's practical judgment of
actions as good or evil. St. Thomas emphasizes the obligatory force
of conscience, stating that every conscience, right or wrong, is
obligatory. In the natural law tradition, conscience is a judgment
about choices and actions.
> Aquinas viewed conscience as a human reason act, a judgment-
following deliberation, and the awareness of a choice's harmony
with behavior for genuine well-being and flourishing.
>If our actions don't align with our conscience's judgment, it
becomes a conscious awareness of a felt disharmony between our
choices and moral norms, despite being emotive.
