Kohlberg's moral development

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  • Created by: Teganwi
  • Created on: 13-05-21 15:35
Aim of Kohlberg's research
How moral development takes place over time in childhood
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Research method/s
Longitudinal study-12 years
Cross cultural- USA, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey
Open questions
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Sample
75 boys in USA- aged 10 to 16 up to 22/28
Participants also in UK, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey
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Materials
Moral hypothetical dilemmas - e.g. Heinz dilemma should Heinz have broken in? any different if it was a stranger not his wife?
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Procedure
Presented with moral dilemmas
Interviewed by Kohlberg
Explained reasoning for their view
Re interviewed every 3 years
Same interview in different countries
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Findings
Responses were categorised into different stages of moral development - created an invariant stage theory
Results from Mexico and Taiwan same except slower
No differences on basis of religion
Younger at pre-conventional and older thought less about thems
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Pre-conventional level?
Accept rules of authority figures and judge actions by their consequences
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Stage 1?
The punishment and obedience orientation; ignores intention behind behaviour and focuses on obeying rules that are enforced by punishment
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Stage 2?
The instrumental purpose orientation; view an action as right when it satisfies their own needs
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Conventional level?
Conform to social rules to maintain social order and relationships, not out of own interests
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Stage 3?
Interpersonal cooperation; What is right is what is expected by others and approved by them. Seeks approval from being 'nice' and more on basis of intention
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Stage 4?
The social order maintaining orientation; right behaviour shifts from role expectations to doing ones duty established by larger social systems (obeying laws)
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Pre-conventional level?
Defines morality in terms of abstract moral principles that apply to all societies and situations
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Stage 5?
The social contract orientation; law is seen as relative and flexible. Where laws are consistent with individual rights and benefits society, it is valid
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Stage 6?
The universal ethical principles orientation; morality defined in self-chosen abstract morals. Laws typically conform to these principles, but when they don't, individuals act in accordance to their interpersonal principles
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Conclusion
Stages are invariant and universal - although some may never reach a certain stage
Each new stage represents a more equilibriated form of morals
Moral discussion classes can help children develop their moral thinking
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Evaluation: Androcentric
Kohlberg' research is androcentric as views morals from a purely male perspective, His sample was made up of males only, so his research cannot be generalised to females. Gilligan suggested that women view morality from a different perspective, focusing o
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Evaluation: Longitudinal
Due to his research being longitudinal it offers a useful source of moral development over time and avoids individual differences. However, it took a long time to collect data and since then society may have changed morals, such as on abortion, as well as
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Evaluation: Validity
Gilligan criticised Kohlberg's research due to his moral dilemmas were hypothetical scenarios that were outside of normal experience(ecological validity) and may have made little sense, especially to younger children. Their answers might not reflect what
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Evaluation: Social desirability
An issue with self reports, including interviews, is that the participants prefer to present themselves in a good way. This means they may have given answers to the moral dilemmas in a socially desired way than what they would actually do(validity). There
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Evaluation:Hypothetical v Real life
The dilemmas were hypothetical and therefore their answers may not reflect how they would have acted in real life. Hofling research on obedience of nurses found hat what they would do in a hypothetical situation was very different from what they did when
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Evaluation: Ethnocentric
It views moral development from a Western viewpoint. Kohlberg suggested that bots from Mexico and Taiwan progressed slower. However, this could be due to differences of morality in different cultures. This makes the research culturally sensitive as people
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Front

Research method/s

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Longitudinal study-12 years
Cross cultural- USA, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey
Open questions

Card 3

Front

Sample

Back

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Card 4

Front

Materials

Back

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Card 5

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Procedure

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