Lawrence Kohlberg

Lawrence Kohlberg
Source: (Gillian, 1977)
Kohlberg’s Early Years

Lawrence Kohlberg was born on October 25, 1927, in Bronxville, NY. His parents
did not have a good relationship and divorced when Kohlberg was in his early
teens. The young man put a lot of work into his studies and enrolled in the
Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, for his high school education.
At the end of WWII, Kohlberg joined the Merchant Marines. As part of his duties,
he helped Jewish refugees escape from Romania and into Palestine. This way, the
refugees could avoid persecution. These activities were not actually approved and
Kohlberg ended up spending time in an internment camp in Cyprus when British
forces captured him. Kohlberg eventually escaped from the internment camp and
found his way back to the United States. (Rest, 1979)
Source: (MacLeod, 2013)

Source: (MacLeod, 2013)
Career in Academia
Kohlberg maintained a very distinguished academic career. From 1958 to 1961,
he served as an assistant professor of psychology at Yale University. He went on and
worked a year at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in California
and then, from 1962 to 1967, he held the position of an assistant and then associate
professor at the University of Chicago. In 1968, he was named Professor of Education
and Social Psychology at Harvard University. (Rest, 1979)
Source: (US News, 2018)
Source: (ABC News, 2018)

Source: (ABC News, 2018)
Theory of the Stages of Moral Development
Kohlberg’s revolutionary Theory of Stages of Moral Development helped

establish his reputation as a brilliant thinker in the field of psychology. Studying
the topic of moral development was certainly not a new pursuit as philosophers
had been doing it for centuries. The subject had, for lack of a better description,
had become an afterthought when Kohlberg resurrected it. In doing so, he
breathed new life into the study of a very critical area of psychology.
Kohlberg’s early work on this theory was found in his 1958 dissertation. Of
course, the theory was expanded upon in the many years following the
completion of his dissertation. The theory built upon much of what Piaget had
researched previously.
The simplest way to explain the theory is that ethical behavior is born of moral
reasoning and moral reasoning can be identified by six traits. Each of these stages
helps respond to a moral dilemma with each growing stage being better able to
offer a response.
The six stages are broken down into three levels: Level 1 is Pre-Conventional,
Level 2 is Conventional, and Level 3 is Post-Conventional. Each level has two
unique components reflecting the ladder to the consecutive stages. Level 1 centers
on obedience/punishment and self-interest. Level 2 deals with conformity and
authority. Level 3 centers on social contracts and universal ethics.
Experiments with these stages of moral theory were often conducted by

presenting subjects with moral dilemmas and seeing how they responded to
them. Later in his studies, Kohlberg felt that it might be possible to extend the
stages to include moral regression.
The theories and work of Kohlberg can be examined in his published texts –
Essays on Moral Development, Vols. I and II, The Psychology of Moral
Development, and The Philosophy of Moral Development. ( Kohlberg, 1984)
Introduction to the theory of the Stages of Moral Development
Heinz Dilemna: Kohlberg’s Problem
(WILL BE DISPLAYING ANIMATION)
Kohlberg asked a series of questions such as: (Kohlberg, 1984).
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?

2. Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3. What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4. Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman died?
Level 3 - Post-conventional morality
Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on

individual rights and justice. According to Kohlberg this level of moral reasoning is as far
as most people get. Only 10-15% are capable of the kind of abstract thinking necessary
for stage 5 or 6 (postconventional morality). That is to say, most people take their moral
views from those around them and only a minority think through ethical principles for
themselves.
• Stage 5. Social Contract and Individual Rights. The child/individual becomes aware that
while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest number, there are times when
they will work against the interest of particular individuals. The issues are not always
clear-cut. For example, in Heinz’s dilemma, the protection of life is more important than
breaking the law against stealing.
• Stage 6. Universal Principles. People at this stage have developed their own set of moral
guidelines which may or may not fit the law. The principles apply to everyone. E.g.,
human rights, justice, and equality. The person will be prepared to act to defend these
principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process and having to
pay the consequences of disapproval and or imprisonment. Kohlberg doubted few people
reached this stage.

Lawrence Kohlberg

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Lawrence Kohlberg

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Lawrence Kohlberg

Source: (Gillian, 1977)

Kohlberg’s Early Years

Source: (MacLeod, 2013)

Source: (US News, 2018)

Source: (ABC News, 2018)

Theory of the Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s revolutionary Theory of Stages of Moral Development helped

Experiments with these stages of moral theory were often conducted by

Heinz Dilemna: Kohlberg’s Problem

(WILL BE DISPLAYING ANIMATION)

Kohlberg asked a series of questions such as: (Kohlberg, 1984).

1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?

Level 3 - Post-conventional morality

Individual judgment is based on self-chosen principles, and moral reasoning is based on

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