Lawrence Kohlberg’s Development of Moral Reasoning

• Born:October 25, 1927
• Birthplace: Bronxville, New York, United States
• Died: January 19, 1987
• Location of death: Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Psychologist, College Teacher

Level of Moral development	Stage of Reasoning	Approximate Age
Preconventional “do’s and don’ts”	Stage 1: (Punishment and Obedience Orientation). Right is obedience to power and avoidance of punishment. (“I must follow the rules otherwise I will be punished”). Stage 2: Instrumental Relativist Orientation. Right is taking responsibility and leaving others to be responsible for themselves. (“I must follow the rules for the reward and favor it gives”).	<11
Conventional	Stage 3: Good-Boy-Nice Girl Orientation. Right is being considerate: “uphold the values of other adolescents and adults” rules of society”. (“I must follow the rules so I will be accepted”) Stage 4: Society-Maintaining Orientation. Right is being good, with the values and norms of family and society at large.(“I must follow rules so there is order in the society”).	adolescence and adulthood
Postconventional	Stage 5: Social Contract Reorientation. Right is finding inner “universal rights” balance between self-rights and societal rules – a social contract.(“I must follow rules as there are reasonable laws for it”). Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principle orientation. Right is based on a higher order of applying principles to all human-kind; being non-judgmental and respecting all human life. (“I must follow rules because my conscience tells me”).	after 20

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