⚖️ Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory: How Children Learn Right from Wrong

Lawrence Kohlberg expanded on Piaget’s work to explain how moral reasoning develops in children. His theory outlines six stages of moral growth, grouped into three main levels. Kohlberg believed that moral development is a gradual process influenced by cognitive maturity and social interaction.

🧠 What Is Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory?

Kohlberg believed that children's understanding of morality develops in a sequence of six stages, influenced by their ability to think logically and make ethical decisions.

"Moral development is not just learning right from wrong, but understanding why something is right or wrong." — Lawrence Kohlberg

📊 The 3 Levels and 6 Stages of Moral Development

🟥 Level 1: Pre-Conventional Morality (Ages ~4–10)

Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation
- Morality based on avoiding punishment
- Example: "I won’t hit because I’ll get time-out."
Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange
- Focus on self-interest and fair exchange
- Example: "You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours."

🟨 Level 2: Conventional Morality (Ages ~10–16)

Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships
- Morality driven by pleasing others and gaining approval
- Example: "I’m good because people like me."
Stage 4: Maintaining Social Order
- Emphasis on law, duty, and rules
- Example: "We must obey laws to keep society safe."

🟩 Level 3: Post-Conventional Morality (Ages 16+)

Stage 5: Social Contract and Individual Rights
- Recognizes laws aren’t always fair, values justice and human rights
- Example: "Sometimes breaking the law is morally right."
Stage 6: Universal Principles
- Guided by personal ethical principles like equality and dignity
- Example: Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. standing up for human rights

🧪 The Heinz Dilemma

Kohlberg used this famous moral dilemma to study how people reason morally:

A man named Heinz cannot afford a drug his wife needs to survive. Should he steal it?

Answers at each stage reveal the child's moral maturity, not just their opinion.

🏫 Application in Parenting and Education

Encourages ethical discussions in classrooms
Promotes moral reasoning through storytelling and dilemma questions
Helps parents understand why children behave a certain way at different ages

⚖️ Criticism of Kohlberg’s Theory

Concern	Explanation
Gender bias	Based mostly on boys; Carol Gilligan criticized the lack of emotional/social perspective
Cultural bias	Western values emphasized more than collectivist cultures
Focus on reasoning	Doesn’t always predict actual behavior

➡️ Continue Reading: Maria Montessori’s Child-Centered Learning Approach →

Explore how Montessori’s method emphasizes independence, hands-on learning, and respect for a child’s natural development pace.

⚖️ Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory: How Children Learn Right from Wrong