Question

Stage 5 of Kohlberg's moral development, 'Social contract & Individual rights', suggests that:

• A. Laws are absolute and cannot be changed
• B. Rules are important but can be changed if they no longer serve society's needs
• C. Personal gain is the primary motivation for moral behavior
• D. Universal ethical principles always override societal laws

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Rules are important but can be changed if they no longer serve society's needs

Moral Development by Lawrence Kohlberg

• Lawrence Kohlberg - American psychologist

Books : -

1. The philosophy of moral development : Moral Stages and the Idea of Justice" (1981)

2. The psychology of moral development : The Nature and Validity of Moral Stages" (1984)

• Lawrence Kohlberg formulated a theory asserting that individuals progress through six distinct stages of moral reasoning from infancy to adulthood. He grouped these stages into three broad categories of moral reasoning, pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional.

Moral Development

• Moral development is the process through which children develop proper attitudes and behavior towards other people in society based on social and cultural norms, rules and laws .

Famous imaginative story Heinz Dilemma

• The Heinz Dilemma is a classic moral story used in psychology, especially by Lawrence Kohlberg, about a man whose wife is dying from a rare disease, and he must choose whether to steal an overpriced drug to save her, highlighting different levels of moral reasoning, from obeying laws to prioritizing human life. The core conflict is Heinz's desperation to save his wife versus the pharmacist's greed and the law against stealing, forcing a choice between legal and moral imperatives. 

• He proposed three distinct level of moral reasoning and each level has 2 stages.

Pre – conventional

Stage 1 : obedience & punishment orientation

Stage 2 : individualism & exchange

Conventional

Stage 3 : interpersonal relationship good boy and

good girl

Stage 4 : Law and order

Post – conventional

Stage 5 : social contract & individual rights

Stage 6 : universal ethical principles.

Level 1 Pre conventional morality

Stage 1 : obedience & punishment orientation

• At this stage Kohlberg says obeying the rules is important because it is a means to avoid punishment

• Eg: Heinz should not steal the drug as he may go to jail if he is caught.

Stage 2 : Individualism & exchange

• Stage two expresses what's in it for me position

• This stage is also known as Tit for Tat stage.

• Eg : It is right for Heinz to steal the drug because it can cure his wife then she can cook for him.

Level 2 Conventional Morality

Stage 3 : Interpersonal Relationship

• The individual wants to maintain or win the affection and approval of others by being a good person .

• Often referred to as the good girl good boy orientation.

• Eg : Heinz should steal the drug from the store in order to be a good partner to his wife.

Stage 4 : Law and Order

• The focus is on maintaining law and order by following the rules doing one’s duty and respecting authority .

• Eg : Heinz should not steal the drug because that would be against the law and he has duty to uphold the law.

Level 3 Post – conventional morality

Stage 5 : Social contract & Individual right

• Rules and laws are important for maintaining a society

• But members of the society should agree upon these standards .

• Rules can be changed when they no longer meet society’s needs.

• Eg : Heinz should steal the drug because everyone has the right to life regardless of the law against stealing .

Stage 6 : Universal Ethical principle

• Profound respect for sancity of human life , non – violence , equality and human dignity .

• Eg : Heinz should steal the drug even it the person was a stranger and not his wife . He must follow his conscience and not let the druggist’s desire for money out weight the value of human life.