Blog Post #17
Piaget
vs. Kohlberg Moral Development Theories
Jean
Piaget first published his theory of child development
during the 1920's but his work did not become prominent until the mid-twentieth
century. Piaget is perhaps best known for his theory of children's cognitive
development, but he also proposed his own theory about children's moral development. Piaget recognized that cognitive
development is closely tied to moral development and was particularly
interested in the way children's thoughts about morality changed over
time.
·
According to Piaget, youth develop the morality
of cooperation, at the age of 10 years or older. As youth develop a morality of
cooperation they realize that in order to create a cooperative society people
must work together to decide what is acceptable, and what is not. Piaget
believed that youth at this age begin to understand that morals represent
social agreements between people and are intended to promote the common good.
·
Youth begin to realize that when
situations are handled in a manner that seems fair, reasonable, and/or
beneficial to all parties, it becomes easier for people to accept and honor the
decision.
·
According to Piaget, once ideal
reciprocity has been reached moral development has been completed. However, we
now know that many youth will continue to refine their moral decision-making
process well into early adulthood.
Lawrence
Kohlberg was, for many years, a professor at Harvard
University. He became famous for his work there beginning in the early 1970s.
He started as a developmental psychologist and then moved to the field of moral
education. He was particularly well-known for his theory of moral development which he popularized through research
studies conducted at Harvard's Center for Moral Education.
·
The first level of moral thinking is
that generally found at the elementary school level. In the first stage of this
level, people behave according to socially acceptable norms because they are
told to do so by some authority figure (e.g., parent or teacher). This
obedience is compelled by the threat or application of punishment. The second
stage of this level is characterized by a view that right behavior means acting
in one's own best interests.
·
The second level of moral thinking is
that generally found in society, hence the name "conventional." The
first stage of this level (stage 3) is characterized by an attitude which seeks
to do what will gain the approval of others. The second stage is one oriented
to abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty.
·
The third level of moral thinking is one
that Kohlberg felt is not reached by the majority of adults. Its first stage
(stage 5) is an understanding of social mutuality and a genuine interest in the
welfare of others. The last stage (stage 6) is based on respect for universal
principle and the demands of individual conscience. While Kohlberg always
believed in the existence of Stage 6 and had some nominees for it, he could
never get enough subjects to define it, much less observe their longitudinal
movement to it.
·
Kohlberg believed that individuals could
only progress through these stages one stage at a time. That is, they could not
"jump" stages. They could only come to a comprehension of a moral
rationale one stage above their own. Thus, according to Kohlberg, it was
important to present them with moral dilemmas for discussion which would help
them to see the reasonableness of a "higher stage" morality and
encourage their development in that direction.
