Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Stage 1 - Moral reasoning based on orientation to punishment and reward.

Stage 2 - Moral reasoning based on instrumental purpose and exchange.

Stage 3 - Moral reasoning based on mutual relations, approval of others, the golden rule.

Stage 4 - Moral reasoning based on social esteem and conscience.

Stage 5 - Moral reasoning based on morality of contract, individual rights, and of democratically accepted law.

Stage 6 - Moral reasoning based on universal principles and internalized standards.

Kohlberg's theory states that the first four of these stages are attained by age 13 or 14 years. However, the last two stages are attained only in adulthood and only in some people. In other words, it is possible to live out one's entire life and never attain what is considered to be the highest level of moral reasoning.

Kohlberg does not address the potential problems inherent to situations where people are working at careers that are of grave moral consequence and yet have not attained the highest levels of moral reasoning. However, if social institutions are to be maximally ethical and/or moral, it seems reasonable to suggest that such problems be addressed.

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er, all supportive of personality contributors to differences in moral reasoning. For example, in another study of personality and its relationship to morality reasoning, Furnham and Barratt (1988) had three groups of 15 year-olds (N=54) (delinquent, nondelinquent but problematic, and a control group) complete the Defining Issues Test of moral reasoning and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Findings showed that there were no differences between the groups on moral reasoning, but the delinquents had significantly higher neuroticism and psychoticism scores and a significantly lower lie score than nondelinquents. In terms of the relationship of personality to moral reasoning, it is interesting to note that personality has been found to be related to immoral and unethical behavior of police. Girodo (1991), for example, noted that current views of police corruption attribute drug corruption either to flaws in policemen's character or to the corrupting criminal environment where investigations are carried out. A pragmatic approach to the interaction between personality and situational causes of police corruption was the basis for Girodo's study of 271 undercover agents. All agents completed the Eysenck Personality Questionna
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