Kohlberg’s 6 Stages of Moral Development

Main ideas and lessons (Kohlberg’s theory)

Kohlberg’s theory proposes that moral reasoning develops through six stages, grouped into three levels:

• Pre-conventional
• Conventional
• Post-conventional

Each stage is illustrated through a schoolyard conflict scenario, where different characters justify what they do based on their level of moral reasoning.

The 6 stages of moral development (structured by level)

1) Pre-conventional level

Stage 1: Obedience and punishment

• Moral judgments are based on avoiding punishment and following rules only because of consequences.
• Example (Finn):
  • Finn sees a friend being beaten and wants to help.
  • He doesn’t intervene because he fears the teacher may punish him.
  • Self-question: “How can I avoid punishment?”

Stage 2: Self-interest

• Right action is determined by personal benefit, reciprocity, or future advantages.
• Example (Mary):
  • Mary intervenes to help Tom.
  • She anticipates she might also be punished, but believes helping now could lead to Tom helping her later.
  • Self-question: “What’s in it for me?”

2) Conventional level

Stage 3: Interpersonal accord and conformity

• Morality is based on social approval, being a “good person,” and conforming to others’ expectations.
• Example (Betty):
  • Betty wants to help.
  • But when she realizes others are watching and no one else intervenes, she chooses not to.
  • Her priority is to be seen as conforming with community norms.
  • Self-question: “What do others think of me?”

Stage 4: Authority and maintaining social order

• Moral reasoning centers on obeying rules and maintaining order because social systems depend on them.
• Example (Teacher):
  • When the teacher sees the fight, they shout: “Stop! Fighting at school is forbidden!”
  • The teacher believes rules must be upheld to prevent chaos.
  • Self-question: “How can I maintain law and order?”

3) Post-conventional level

Stage 5: Social contract

• Rules are viewed as agreements meant to serve the community, not as fixed absolute commands.
• Example (Jessie):
  • Jessie questions whether rules serve everyone properly.
  • She considers that fighting is prohibited, but also thinks Tom’s actions may warrant consequences (e.g., Tom previously hurt a younger student).
  • Self-question: “Does a rule truly serve all members of the community?”

Stage 6: Universal ethical principles

• Morality is guided by universal principles like justice and compassion, even if that means disobeying unjust rules.
• Example (Headmaster):
  • The headmaster emphasizes rules are valid only if grounded in justice.
  • Compassion is the highest moral principle.
  • Commitment to justice includes an obligation to disobey unjust rules.
  • The “right” action is treated as an end in itself (not merely a means).
  • Self-question: “What abstract ethical principles serve my understanding of justice?”

Levels vs. typical reasoning (explicit contrasts in the video)

• Pre-conventional:

  • Finn (fear of punishment), Mary (self-interest)
  • Judgments rely on expected consequences for oneself, not on norms.
  • Common in children.

• Conventional:

  • Betty responds to peer pressure; teacher follows rules/authority
  • Morality focuses on what society deems right; fairness of rules is rarely questioned.
  • Common during adolescence and adulthood.

• Post-conventional:

  • Jessie sees complexity (individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with their own morality)
  • Headmaster uses universal compassion and justice, beyond what society/rules say.
  • Not everyone reaches this level.

Research basis (who developed and how it was tested)

• Lawrence Kohlberg built his work on Piaget’s cognitive development theory.
• To confirm the theory, Kohlberg interviewed boys aged 10–16.
• He analyzed how they justify decisions in response to hypothetical moral dilemmas.

Methodology / list of prompts: the “Heinz dilemma”

The video presents Kohlberg’s most famous dilemma and asks viewers to answer it with justifications.

The Heinz dilemma scenario

• A woman is on her deathbed.
• There is only one drug that might save her.
• The druggist sells the drug for 10x the production cost.
• The husband, Heinz, is poor and can’t afford it (even with help from friends).
• Heinz asks for the drug for half price, but the pharmacist refuses.
• Heinz then steals the medicine to save his wife.

Questions posed to the viewer

• Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
• Would the answer change if Heinz didn’t love his wife?
• What if the dying person were a stranger, not his wife?
• If the wife dies, should police arrest the druggist for murder?

(The video instructs viewers to write answers and justifications in the comments.)

Speakers / sources featured

• Lawrence Kohlberg (theorist of moral development)
• Jean Piaget (cognitive development theory referenced as a foundation)
• Piaget’s theory (mentioned as the prior framework Kohlberg built on)
• Characters used to illustrate stages:
  • Finn (stage 1)
  • Mary (stage 2)
  • Betty (stage 3)
  • Teacher (stage 4)
  • Jessie (stage 5)
  • Headmaster (stage 6)