KOHLBERG'S SIX

STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT
LEVEL ONE: Preconventional
Morality (Children to 9 yrs. old)

- Young children do not really

understands the conventions or
rules of a society.
Stage One - PUNISHMENT -
OBEDIENCE ORIENTATION

- Authority have superior, power

and should be obeyed.
Stage One - PUNISHMENT -
OBEDIENCE ORIENTATION

- The physical consequence of

an action determines the
goodness or badness.
Stage One - PUNISHMENT -
OBEDIENCE ORIENTATION

- Punishment should be
avoided by staying out of
trouble.
Stage Two - INSTRUMENTAL
RELATIVITIST ORIENTATION

- Action is judged to be right if it

is instrumental or satisfying
one's own needs or involve on
even exchange.
Stage Two - INSTRUMENTAL
RELATIVITIST ORIENTATION

- Obeying rules should bring

some benefit in return.
LEVEL TWO: Conventional
Morality (9 to 20 years old)

- Nine to twenty years olds

conform to the convention of
society because they are rules
of the society.
Stage Three - GOOD BOY -
NICE GIRL ORIENTATION

- The right action is one that

would be carried out by
someone whose behavior is
lkely to please or impress
others.
Stage Four - LAW AND
ORDER ORIENTATION

- To maintain the social order,

fixed rules must be established
and obeyed. It is essential to
respect authority.
LEVEL THREE:
Postconventional Morality (20
and small proportion of adults)

- More principles that underlie

the conventions of the society
are understood.
Stage Five - SOCIAL
CONTRACT ORIENTATION

- Rules are needed to maintain

social agreement.
Stage Five - SOCIAL
CONTRACT ORIENTATION

- The rights of the individual

should be protected.
Stage Six - UNIVERSAL
ETHICAL PRINCIPLE
ORIENTATION

- Moral decisions should be

made in terms of self-chosen
ethical principles.
Stage Six - UNIVERSAL
ETHICAL PRINCIPLE
ORIENTATION

- Once principles are chosen,

they should be applied in a
consistent way.