Lyanne Mae M.

Quismundo

1E1

Kohlbergs Stages of Moral Reasoning

1) Mr. Kohlberg, what is the subject of your intensive research?

How reasoning about moral issues changes with age has been the subject of my
research.
2) What inspired you, or influenced you in conducting a research about moral
reasoning?
I am greatly influenced by Piagets theory of cognitive development. With this, I
sought to determine whether there are universal stages in the development of moral
judgments.
3) How did you come up with the result of your research?
I presented various stories with moral dilemmas to children and adults of various
ages and cultural background. From this, I concluded that children are moral
philosophers.
4) You described children as moral philosophers. Why did you describe them as such?
I described them as moral philosophers because they are the ones who develop
moral standards of their own. These standards do not necessarily come from
parents, but emerge from cognitive interaction of children with their social
environment.
5) According to our research, you have developed levels and stages of moral reasoning.
Can you name what are these levels and stages?
The first level of moral reasoning is pre-conventional morality. The second level is
conventional morality. And the last is post-conventional morality.
6) Can you describe pre-conventional morality?
In this first stage, morality is based on the expectations of others and the effect of
ones action to his/her image in the community or ones group. An action is good if it

conforms to the expectations of others, otherwise it is not. An action is also good if it

will enhance ones good reputation or ones good image on others.
7) How can you describe the behavior of a child on this first stage?
Here, the child considers right and wrong in terms of punishment and reward. For
the child, an action is bad because of the punishment for it. Disobedience is wrong
because it means not going out of the house or no allowance or no gift. An action is
good because there is reward for it. Studying the lesson is good because it means
gift from the parents or star in the card.
8) As youve stated earlier, the second level of moral reasoning is conventional morality.
Can you explain what is this all about?
In the second stage, morality is based on authority and ones duty. An action is good
because one has to do his/her duty and one does not want censure of authority.
9) How can you describe the behavior of a child on this second stage?
Here, the child behaves as a good boy or a good girl, and behaves according to
authority. Because the child wants to be a good girl/boy, he/she conforms to avoid
disapproval of others. The child also upholds laws and social rules to avoid censure
of authorities and feelings of guilt about not doing ones duty.
10) The third level of moral reasoning is post-conventional morality. What is this all
about?
Very few reach this level. In the third stage, actions are guided by social-contact
orientation and ethical principle orientation. In social-contact orientation, actions are
guided by principles commonly agreed on as essential to the public welfare;
principles upheld to retain respect of peers and thus, self-respect. In ethical principle
orientation, actions are guided by self-chosen ethical principles such as justice,
dignity, and equality; principles upheld to avoid self-condemnation.