Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development: A Comprehensive Analysis
Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, formulated in the mid-20th century, remains a cornerstone of developmental psychology. Building upon Jean Piaget’s work, Kohlberg proposed that moral reasoning—the basis for ethical behavior—evolves through six distinct, universal stages grouped into three levels. This paper explores the structural framework of these stages, the methodology of the "Heinz Dilemma," and critical evaluations of the theory’s cultural and gender-based limitations. I. Introduction LAwRENCE KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPlvlE...
Kohlberg’s theory is structured into three levels, each containing two stages. According to ResearchGate , individuals move through these stages in a fixed, invariant order. To measure moral development
To measure moral development, Kohlberg used hypothetical moral dilemmas. The most famous is the , which asks whether a man should steal an overpriced drug to save his dying wife. Kohlberg was less interested in whether the subject answered "yes" or "no" and more in the rationale provided, which revealed their stage of moral maturity. III. The Three Levels and Six Stages formulated in the mid-20th century