Picture this: Dave's wife is dying from a very rare form of cancer. Dave is told that a new drug has been developed that might save his wife. He goes to the chemist to buy some, but the chemist is charging ten times what it costs to make the drug and Dave doesn't have that sort of money. He did his best to raise the money, but he could only get a portion of the required cost. Dave went back to the chemist and promised to pay him the rest later, but the chemist refused to give him the drug unless he had all the money. Later that night, Dave broke into the lab and stole the drugs.
Should Dave have stolen the drugs?
Would it change anything is Dave didn't love his wife?
What if the person dying was a stranger, would that make a difference?
Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman dies?
Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) was famous for using stories of a moral dilemma and questions like the ones above to understand how a person's moral development changed as they grew older. In his research, he determined three distinct levels of moral development, with two sub categories in each.
Level One: Pre-Conventional Morality
The individual has no personal code of morality around the age of nine. The moral code at this age is shaped by the consequences of breaking or following the rules set by adults. Any reasoning is directly based on the physical consequences of the action.
Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment Orientation
The child is good in order to avoid punishment. Therefore, their actions are for the approval of others
Stage 2. Individualism and Exchange
The child begins to realize that not all adults hand down the same rules; different adults have different rules and opinions.
Level Two: Conventional Morality
At this age (usually adolescence), authority is internalized, but not questioned. The individual adopts the norms and ideas of their peers.
Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships
The person is good, in order to be seen as a good person by their peer group. They do what is considered socially accepted, in order
to be in good standing with their friends.
Stage 4. Maintaining the Social Order
The individual is aware of the rules and laws in place by society. They try their best to uphold these standards in order to avoid any trouble with law enforcement.
Level Three: Post-Conventional Morality
The individual makes choices based on their personal moral reasoning and views. These views are based on personal standards of justice and self chosen principals.
Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights
The individual realizes that while society has rules in place, there are exceptions to the rules. There are times when the rules must be broken for the common good.
Stage 6. Universal Principles
The individual has developed their own set of moral principles that may or may not fit the laws in place by society. They will do anything to protect their way of thinking, and have no problem breaking the law if it infringes on their personal moral standards. Kohlberg doubts that many people with never reach this stage.
The problem with Kohlberg's theory, is that it is all based on hypothetical questions with little qualitative evidence. A soldier can claim to be the bravest on the squad, but the second you throw them into battle, they cower behind the others. People would like to think that they are more moral than others, but when your factor in the emotions of a real situation, it's hard to stand true to that earlier moral standard. Another problem with his theory, is that even though an individual may use postconventional morality on one issue, they may revert back to conventional morality in another. Again, the reality of the situation and the emotions plays a huge role in people's actual behavior. As much as we would like to believe we are saints, it is usually proven that it is not the case.
Sources:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html
Images (Top To Bottom):
http://www.handinhandparenting.org/article/when-children-lie/
http://compassionatesolutions.ca/show-57-the-importance-of-family-from-a-teens-perspective/
http://www.onlinemba.com/blog/10-big-companies-that-promote-employee-meditation/