activities in relation to kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning a study that investigates if...

Activities in Relation to Kohlberg’s theory of

Moral Reasoning

Activities in Relation to Kohlberg’s theory of

Moral ReasoningA Study that investigates if certain activities

correlate with higher levels of Moral Reasoning, as defined by Kohlberg

A Study that investigates if certain activities correlate with higher levels of Moral Reasoning, as defined by Kohlberg

by Jonathan Guedaliaby Jonathan Guedalia

Lawrence Kohlberg

• 1927: Born and raised in Bronxville, New York

• Showed great interest in helping others -He enlisted as an engineer on a carrier ship and smuggled Jews to safety from Europe to Palestine by placing beds inside banana crates

• Personal moral decisions likely led to his later theory on morality

• 1948: Enrolled in the University of Chicago where he showed interest in Piaget’s work

Kohlberg cont.

• 1949: Just a year after enrolling, Kohlberg earns his bachelor's degree in psychology

• 1958: Completed Dissertation with in-depth approach of his six-stage theory of cognitive moral development

• Taught at the University of Chicago as a developmental psychologist

• 1968: Taught education and social psychology at Harvard University

Kohlberg...

• Visited Israel and countries in Asia to test his theories.

• Adapted the dilemmas to fit the culture

• (ie. Bridge Dilemma)

• 1971: While researching in Belize, Kohlberg gets a tropical disease that causes both physical pain and depression

• 1984: Essays on the Philosophy and Psychology of Moral Development are Published in 1981 & 1984

• January 19, 1987: Kohlberg commits suicide in Boston Harbor

Definition

• Morality reasoning: judgements about right and wrong.

http://eqi.org/kohlberg.htm

theory

• Expands on Piaget’s theory

• 6 stages; 2 levels

LEVEL 1: PRECONVENTIONAL MORALITY

• STAGE 1:

• MOTIVES: Action is motivated by avoidance of punishment, and “conscience” is irrational fear of punishment

• Similar to Piaget’s first stage of moral thought

• Children do not speak as members of society; instead they see morality as external

• Child looks no further than laws set by authorities such as parents and God

• will not steal because

• “it’s against the law”

• “it’s bad to steal”

• “stealing is bad because you will be punished”

Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange

• MOTIVES: Action is motivated by the desire for reward or benefit. Possible guilt reactions are ignored and punishment viewed in a pragmatic manner. Differentiates own fear, pleasure, or pain from punishment consequences.

• Children can see there’s not just one authoritative view

• Sees two viewpoints in a response such as “Heinz might think it’s right to take the drug, the druggist would not.”

• Pursues individual interest; self-interested

• “If you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.”

• Still considered preconventional reasoning, because respondents speak as isolated individuals rather than members of society

• No identification with community values

Level 2: Conventional Morality

• STAGE 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships

• MOTIVES: Action is motivated by anticipation of disapproval of others, actual or imagined hypothetical (ie. guilt). Differentiates disapproval from punishment, fear, and pain.

• This stage usually apparent as children entering their teens

• Recognize that one should live up to community standards by showing good behavior such as love, empathy and trust for others

• “he was a good man for wanting to save her”

• “his intentions were good, that of saving the life of someone he loves”

• describing druggist as “selfish” and “greedy”

Stage 4: Maintaining the Social Order

• MOTIVES: Action is motivated by anticipation of dishonor; that is, institutionalized blame for failures of duty, and by guilt over concrete harm done to others.

• Respondent becomes concerned with society as a whole

• Following rules to maintain social order

• People think “from a full-fledged member of society perspective.”

• “I shouldn’t steal because if we all started breaking laws whenever we felt we had a good reason, chaos would erupt and society couldn’t function”

• Seems similar to stage 1? As far as the “No” answer’s concerned, yes, but the reasoning in stage 4 transcends the thought process of stage 1 by acknowledging the function of laws in society of a whole.

Level 3 -Postconventional Morality

• Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights

• Respondents think past a functional society to consider if it’s a good society by considering the rights and values a society should maintain

• Think from a “prior-to-society” perspective by evaluating what makes a society good

• This perspective usually includes democratic principles, such as basic rights, fair laws and democratic procedures

• “It is the husband’s duty to save his wife. The fact that they her life is in danger transcends every other standard you might use to judge his action.”

• “Still should maintain a legal standpoint by punishing Heinz slightly if he steals the drug.”

• Think more independently than stage 4 respondents. Does not base “right to life” on conventional thinking, but instead on logical thinking of what society should value.

Stage 6: Universal Principles (theoretical stage)

• MOTIVES: Principles that seek to achieve justice that a democracy or majority vote cannot always satisfy

• Based on philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi

• Principles of justice that equally respect each person. (ie. minorities)

• This perspective requires taking the role of others by looking at a situation in the eyes of both parties involved

• Very few people tested consistently in stage 6, so Kohlberg classified it as theoretical.

Question?

• Do certain activities such as interaction with parents, watching television or reading translate to higher levels of moral reasoning?

Hypothesis

• Children who spend the most time interacting and discussing issues with parents will show higher levels of moral reasoning.

Study:

• Activities questionnaire

• Heinz dilemma

• 21 students in middle school

• 7th and 8th grade classes

Testing environment

Heinz Dilemma

• “In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only get together about $2,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said: “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” So having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and considers breaking into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.”

TV

Top 3 with greatest

influence by activity. (2

overlap)

TV Parents Reading 1. Should Heinz steal the drug? 2. Is it right or wrong for Heinz to steal the

drug?

3. Is Heinz violating

the druggist’s

rights?

4. If Heinz were

caught, what

sentence should a

judge give him?

5. It is against the the law for

Heinz to steal. Does that make it

morally wrong?

6. Is it more important

to save another

person’s life or obey the

law?

7. Does it matter if the other

person os a stranger?

8. Do you think Heinz made the

right decision?

9. What is so

important about

human life that makes

is so important to save or protect?

Average Mode/Level

TV 34 36 24 2 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 1.75 1: Preconventional

TV 33 25 19 1. No, It is wrong because it isn’t his. If his wife dies, at least he knows he tried everything to save her.

2. If Heinz steals the drug then yes, but the druggist is taking advantage of his power by selling it for two times as much

1. 80 hours of community service

3. I don’t think it is morally wrong because he had the best intentions

4.A life is more important than a law, but someone could only go so far without putting himself or others in danger.

N/A 3. I think Heinz made the decision he thought was best at the time.

3. Human life is important because even though humans have a conscience and reason, they still have [the] instinct to protect the people they love and care for.

2.42 3: Conventional

TV 33 26 25 3. Yes. It was wrong for the druggist to sell it ten times more than what the drug cost him, so I think it is right.

3. No, because Heinz is trying to save his wife’s life and the druggist is cheating everyone else.

3. The judge should sentence him with 30 days of litter pickup and no more because he was trying to save his wife’s life.

3. Yes, it does make it morally wrong but has effect because of his wife.

4. I think saving someone’s life because we could go into extinction.

1. No, relating to the good Samaritan in the Bible.

3. No, beccause of the desire to save his life.

4. We could go into extinction.

3 3: Conventional

Parents

Top 3 with greatest


overlap)


drug?


the druggist’s

rights?

4. If Heinz were

caught, what

sentence should a

judge give him?



morally wrong?


to save another


law?




right decision?

9. What is so

important about



Average Mode/Level

Parents 12 55 18 1. It is wrong because stealing is never good and if you steal you’re a criminal because you committed a crime.

2. No, because the druggist is charging ten times the usual price and that isn't fair.

2. He should repay the man and pay the extra fine.

1. Yes, stealing is always against the law no matter what reason you have.

2. Saving another person’s life is important and it makes you a hero, but obeying the laws is important because you need them to be free. “freedom is enslavement to the truth”

1. It matters a lot because you never know if the stranger is lying or not.

1. No, because stealing is wrong.

1. It is important because it’s God’s creation.

1.375 1: Preconventional

Parents & Reading

10 55 31 2. I think it is wrong for Heinz to steal the drug his wife really needs. He will be doing a major crime and can be put into jail for doing it.

2. I don’t really think so because the druggist can sell the drug for as much as he wants so he can make money.

2. The sentence the judge should give him is “I understand you need the drug but why would you do this, if you know you [are] going to get caught.

1. Yes, stealing is against the law. It makes it morally wrong because you are breaking the law.

3. I think they are both important, but I think saving someone’s life, especially a family member’s life is way more important. Because it’s sad to see someone dying and you could have done something about it.

5. If the other person is a stranger, I think it would be okay to do it because you son’t want a person you do not even know to die. That would be so unfair.

1. No, I don’t think Heinz made the right decision, because you shouldn’t steal period. It’s against the law and you can get in major trouble.

3. The importance about human life is that it is so precious to us and don’t like to se it be taken away, so fast. So we can protect that persons life for that reason.

2.375 2: Preconventional

Parents & Reading

23 54 33 2. No, because you never now what the effects of the drug will be. Even if Heinz thought it was right only because he was desperate. Plus, you shouldn’t trust drugs from druggists.

2. In a way, yes. Everyone is entitled to having ownership for their possessions. Breaking in would be violating his rights.

1. The judge should give him a jail sentence of two years; 1) Taking an illegal drug from a druggist 2) Breaking in

2. No. Heinz was getting desperate because his wife was dying. He knew that the only way that was available for saving her was that drug.

2. Save someone’s life. “what comes around goes around.” No matter the price, life and love are more precious than anything.

2. No, you should still save them out of kindness and just knowing one day you’ll be rewarded.

1. Yes. He must have really loved his wife to try everything he could to save her, even though he knew the price he’d pay.

4. The most important think about human life is love. It’s that feeling not just for a person, but maybe for something you care about. Human love is like no other feeling. We need to use that love and make a true difference on our planet.

2 2: Preconventional

Reading

Top 3 with greatest


overlap)


drug?


the druggist’s

rights?

4. If Heinz were

caught, what

sentence should a

judge give him?



morally wrong?


to save another


law?




right decision?

9. What is so

important about



Average Mode/Level

Reading 19 37 40 2. Yes. Even though I answered yes to the first question, it is wrong to steal. But at desperate measures, many people will try anything. If the husband really loves the wife, than he would do it. It is wrong because doing illegal can really damage you. Not only that, but it could haunt your conscience later on.

2. Yes, stealing violated the druggist’s rights.

2. The sentence should be as long as a usual robbery [sentence] would be. It was Heinz’s choice to seal no matter what reason it was.

3. I don’t think it is morally wrong because he is doing it for a good cause. He really loves his wife and is willing to risk stealing something. That is out of love and and the goodness of your heart.

5. I personally think it is more important to save a person’s life. All life is sacred, while rules are meant to be broken. Many people break the laws everyday, but it is more worthwhile when you save a life.

3. No, it doesn’t. As I said before, all life is sacred; it should be saved. Doing this out of the goodness of your heart is what really matters. no matter how bad the person is, their life is worth saving.

5. Yes, I do. He made the decision of saving someone’s life at any costs. It is illegal, but nothing would matter to him if his wife died.

5. Human life is important because it is the source of happiness. Any life should be cherished. Life is beautiful and amazing. Why let anyone miss out on it?

3.375 5: Postconventional

Top 10’s

TV

341:Preconvention

al

33 3: Conventional

33 3: Conventional

261:Preconvention

al

25 3: Conventional

252:

Preconventional

24 3: Conventional

232:

Preconventional

202:

Preconventional

192:

Preconventional

Top 10’s cont.

Parents

55 1:Preconventional

552:

Preconventional

542:

Preconventional

51 3: Conventional



375:

Postconventional:

372:

Preconventional

372:

Preconventional


One last Top 10

Reading

405:

Postconventional

332:

Preconventional

312:

Preconventional

25 3: Conventional




21 3: Conventional

211:

Preconventional

19 3: Conventional

TV, Parents, Reading

60%

40%

0%

Level 1 80%

Level 2 10%

Level 3 10%

60%

30%

10%

What I Learned:

• Parental influence does NOT correspond with higher levels of moral reasoning.

• The top 3 were in the lowest Preconventional stage

• Those most influenced by TV have the highest number of conventional, second stage thinkers

• My initial hypothesis ≠ correct, I should temper my judgement

Limitations

• Surveys are on paper; It may be better to interview the students to get more input and make sure they understand the dilemma and questions

• Survey was limited in determining the quality of material students read and watch

• Not enough time for interviews

Works Cited

• "Kohlberg." Emotional Intelligence . N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. <http://eqi.org/kohlberg.htm>.

• Kohlberg, Lawrence. The philosophy of moral development: moral stages and the idea of justice. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1981. Print.

• Kohlberg, Lawrence. The psychology of moral development: the nature and validity of moral stages. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1984. Print.

• Kohlberg's Dissertation

• Textbook

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