Kohlbergs moral development stages

Armen MenechyanTeaching Mockingbird

July 14-16th, 2015

Legacy: Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral

Development

CENTRAL QUESTION

What factors influence our moral growth?

What kinds of experiences help us learn how to judge right from wrong?

Source of Morals

Prioritize?

Quick Write

Write about a childhood/adolescent moral dilemma that you remember clearly.

(Sharing will be optional)

Essential Questions:

– How can literature help us reach a deeper understanding of ourselves and our growth as moral and ethical people?

– How can it help shape the way we think and act?

Lawrence Kohlberg (p 214)• Moral reasoning, the basis for ethical behavior,

has six identifiable developmental stages, each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its predecessor.

• Based on Piaget’s cognitive development theory (claimed that logic and morality develop through constructive stages).

Level 1: Preconventional Moral Reasoning

• Punishment-Obedience

Right or wrong is determined by physical consequences

• Personal Reward

I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine

Level 2:Conventional Moral Reasoning

• Good-Boy Nice-Girl

These two are dressed appropriately for work to

please themselves and others

• Laws and Order

Make sure to obey these signs!

Level 3: Postconventional Moral Reasoning

Kohlberg’s scale is about how people justify behaviors and his

stages are NOT a method of ranking how moral someone’s

behavior is.

What part of his theory do you agree with? Disagree?

Are there any parts of the model that you would modify or remove?

Are there any parts you would add to make it better reflect your ideas about how we grow as moral and ethical people?

YELLOW: Reading 1: Scout’s reflections at the close of the

novel (

BLUE:Reading 2: Conversation between Atticus and Heck

Tate after Bob Ewell’s death.

5 mins to read – Find a Partner – Discuss Qs (5 mins)

• In what sense is this excerpt a moral moment?

• Do you see any connections to the moral development theory?

• Does this text speak to our central question?