Introduction
Moral development presents a maturation process in which children learn about morality, right and wrong acts, and develop the ability of ethical decision-making, which navigates them between the two sides of morality (Garrigan et al., 2018). Moral development presents one of the most important topics for parents because it defines the child’s behavior in the future and their tendency to listen to parents, contributing to the determination of parenting outcomes. Moral development has been a significant topic of discussion among researchers of human behavior since ancient times. Thus, there are several major theories of moral development.
Kohlberg’s Theory
One of the most prominent lifespan development theories is Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. Kohlberg defined his theory through a study of ethical reasoning in children, which took the form of interviews with children of different ages. During the interview, the scientist told the children a story and offered them the chance to decide what action the story’s hero should take. Having received answers and explanations from children, Kohlberg identified similarities and differences and created his theory of the six stages of human moral development. Kohlberg’s theory is inspired by an earlier theory of cognitive development defined by Jean Piaget, which also focuses on stages of children’s development (Goldschmidt et al., 2021).
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 1
The first stage introduces children early to morality through the fear of punishment. While not all parents and authority figures use drastic punishment measures, this stage is characterized by the development of the child’s ability to distinguish between good and bad deeds, depending on their consequences.
I liked taking my parents’ things and playing with them at this stage. Even though I played carefully and did not break anything, my parents told me it was forbidden to take other people’s things without asking. I stopped taking my parents’ things to avoid punishment without understanding the reasons for this rule.
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 2
The second stage follows the first and similarly focuses the child’s attention on the consequences of actions. However, in this stage, the influence of authority figures becomes questionable due to the emergence of an alternative point of view on rules. At this stage, children are most motivated by rewards for correct behavior.
Therefore, adherence to moral rules does not matter to children as long as they can receive rewards for correct behavior. For example, in my experience, learning that my friend’s parents allowed them to play computer games for a long time made me reconsider my attitude towards parents. After learning that gaming is important to me, my parents started letting me play longer to reward good behavior.
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 3
The next level implies a more complex understanding of morality and awareness of social rules and moral norms. Through internalizing social norms, the child correlates his image with society’s expectations and tries to make a better impression on others with his moral behavior to gain approval from authority figures.
In my experience, I enjoyed watching how teachers and parents praised one of my friends for his positive behavior, politeness, and kindness. By imitating him, I also began to behave politely towards others and was glad when others called me a good boy. After a while, I no longer wanted to misbehave because it did not fit my image of a good boy.
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 4
Furthermore, the fourth stage of Kohlberg’s moral development theory focuses on expanding the child’s understanding of social norms in law and order. In this stage, the individual learns about the authority of state power and acquires knowledge of the concepts of duty and responsibility. Therefore, individuals prioritize society’s need for justice and safety over personal interests.
In my personal experience, during this stage, I first learned about morality’s complex and conflicting nature. Then, my parents told me that one of our relatives got a speeding ticket when his dog got sick, and he rushed to the vet. At first, I was upset because of the unfairness of the situation, but then I realized that his action endangered the safety of other drivers on the road.
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 5
Progress to the post-conventional level is considered a rarity in society, and for many people, moral development ends with the achievement of the fourth stage. According to Moreira et al. (2018), starting from stage five, people develop two identities: a citizen responsible for maintaining the balance of rights and duties and a moral agent responsible for society’s welfare. Therefore, my interest in environmental safety and recycling is beginning my transition to post-conventional morality.
Kohlberg’s Theory: Stage 6
There are few cases in history in which people have reached Kohlberg’s theory’s sixth stage of moral development. Most often, the sixth stage in Kohlberg’s theory is associated with prominent historical figures and political leaders who tried to achieve various benefits for humanity. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the historical examples of an individual who progressed to the sixth stage of moral development (Kleineberg, 2018). Therefore, while I have not yet reached this stage, I will make additional efforts to progress in the future.
Stages That Need More Attention
Therefore, exploring different stages of Kohlberg’s moral development theory through my personal experiences allowed me to define several of the most critical stages. Firstly, the third stage, focusing on conventional morality, is crucial because it enables individuals to acknowledge the importance of morality for interpersonal relationships. Next, the fourth stage is vital because it determines society’s overall level of security. Lastly, the sixth stage is significant because it allows people to balance their responsibilities and duties.
Lifespan Development
Lifespan development covers physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development from prenatal through the last stage of life. However, Kohlberg’s moral development theory does not consider a person’s physical development, except age. Therefore, according to Kohlberg’s theory, lifespan development can be defined in four stages.
Sexual Orientation vs. Gender Identity
Sexual orientation refers to the individual’s emotional and erotic attraction toward members of the opposite sex. On the other hand, gender identity refers to the individual’s sense of their gender based on society’s expectations of gender roles. Gender identity is often confused with physical sex characteristics, which can be either male or female.
However, unlike sexual characteristics, gender presents a social construct that can be binary, non-binary, or even fluid (Diamond, 2020). Therefore, while sexual orientation focuses on the physical aspect of relationships between people, gender identity reflects a person’s view of their position in society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this presentation explained different aspects of Kohlberg’s moral development theory. It described the six stages of moral development using examples from personal experience. The presentation also defined the stages that need more attention and determined the theory’s connection with the child’s physical and cognitive development. Lastly, the presentation explored how Kohlberg’s theory approaches the themes of sexual orientation and gender identity.
References
De Lucena Moreira, P., Neto, J. R., Sabucedo, J.M., & dos Santos Camino, C. P. (2018). Moral judgment, political ideology, and collective action. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 59(6), 610-620. Web.
Diamond, L. M. (2020). Gender fluidity and nonbinary gender identities among children and adolescents. Child Development Perspectives, 14(2), 110-115. Web.
Garrigan, B., Adlam, A. L.R., & Langdon, P. E. (2018). Moral decision-making and moral development: Toward an integrative framework. Developmental Review, 49, 80-100. Web.
Goldschmidt, L., Langa, M., Alexander, D., Canham, H. (2021). A review of Kohlberg’s theory and its applicability in the South African context through the lens of early childhood development and violence. Early Child Development and Care, 191, 1066-1078. Web.
Kleineberg, M. (2018). Reconstructionism: A comparative method for viewpoint analysis and indexing using the example of Kohlberg’s moral stages. In F. Ribeiro & M. E. Cerveira (Eds.), Challenges and opportunities for knowledge organization in the digital age (pp. 400-408). Ergon Verlag.
Sravanti, L., & Sagar, J. V. (2019). Gender identity: Emergence in preschoolers. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 1(3-4), 286–287. Web.
