1/4/2018

 Subject/Learning Outcomes
 Assessments – Start planning your work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTzBrjxKHLg  Definition of ethics and relativism

 Morality in relations to etiquettes, laws and
professional codes of ethics and religion

1 3

 Many students have paid, in time, money and effort, to

be here in class.  Overview on Lawrence Kohlberg
 All wish to learn and gain from each class.
 Explanation of Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral
 Please do cooperate by not having non-purposeful
chatter. It will be much appreciated! Development
 I very much encourage all of you to participate.  Some criticisms on the Stages
 Ask questions, seek clarification, share your
experiences, share what you may have read, critic
what I say, etc.

2 4

 A moral philosopher and student of child development.
 Was a director of Harvard's Center for Moral Education.
 Special area of interest:
• the moral development of children
• how they develop a sense of right, wrong, and justice.
5 7
 Planes of moral adequacy to explain the development of moral
reasoning.
 Holds that moral reasoning - the basis for ethical behavior - has 6
identifiable developmental constructive stages
 each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than the last.
 These 6 stages grouped into 3 levels:
pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional (or
principled).
6 8
1/4/2018
 Extremely rare to regress backward in stages - to lose
functionality of higher stage abilities.
 No one functions at their highest stage at all times.
 Not possible to 'jump' forward stages
 Each stage provides a new yet necessary perspective
 Each stage is more comprehensive, differentiated, and
integrated than its predecessors.
LEVEL 3 6. Following self-chosen ethical principles even if violate law
universal ethical principles
Post-
conventional
5. Valuing rights of others and upholding non-relative values
(Principled)
and rights regardless of majority’s opinion
LEVEL 2 4. Maintaining conventional order by fulfilling obligations
Authority and social-order maintaining orientation: Law and
Conventional order morality
3. Living up to what is expected by people close to you
Interpersonal accord and conformity: The good boy/
good girl attitude
LEVEL 1 2. Following rules only when it’s in your immediate interest
Self-interest orientation: What's in it for me?
Pre-
conventional 1. Sticking to rules to avoid physical punishment
Obedience and punishment orientation: How can I avoid
punishment?
Source: S. P. Robbins (2000), Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 6th ed, p. 83.
 1/4/2018

 Lacks a perspective of society, moral decisions made based upon the

immediate rewards for self or others, purely concerned with the self in an
egocentric manner.  Decisions made by an individual or group based upon what
 Morality of an action judged by its direct consequences. the individual /group perceives as the social norms of the
 Consists of the first and second stages of moral development society in which they live.
Stage One - Obedience and punishment
driven  Morality of actions judged by
 Individuals focus on the direct consequences that comparing these actions to
their actions will have for themselves. societal views and
 Eg. An action is perceived as morally wrong if expectations.
the person who commits it gets punished. The
worse the punishment for the act is, the more
'bad' the act is perceived to be. In addition,
there is no recognition that others' points of
view are any different from one's own view.
9 11

Stage Two - Self-interest driven Stage Three - Interpersonal accord and conformity driven
 Espouses the what's in it for me position, right behavior being defined  The self enters society by filling social roles.
by what is in one's own best interest.
 Individuals receptive of approval or disapproval from other people -
 Limited interest in the needs of reflects society's accordance with the perceived role.
others, but only to a point where  Try to be a good boy or good girl to live up to these expectations,
it might further one's own having learned that there is inherent value in doing so.
interests: “you scratch my back,  May judge the morality of an action by evaluating its consequences
and I'll scratch yours” attitude. in terms of a person's relationships - begin to include things like
respect and gratitude.
 Concern for others is not based  Desire to maintain rules and authority - exists only to further
on loyalty or intrinsic respect. support these stereotypical social roles.

10 12

Stage Four - Authority and social order obedience driven
 Important to obey laws and social
conventions - importance in maintaining
a functioning society.
 Moral reasoning beyond the need for
individual approval
 Society must learn to transcend
individual needs.
 If one person violates a law, perhaps
everyone would – thus an obligation
and duty to uphold laws and rules.
 When someone violates a law, it is morally wrong
13
 Realisation that individuals are separate entities
from society now becomes salient.
 One's own perspective viewed before the society's.
 Decisions made based upon the merits of each
individual situation.
 Norms of society - ignored as they may conflict
with the principled decision that ought to be made.
 ‘Nature of self before others‘ especially stage six,
is sometimes mistaken for pre-conventional
behaviours.
14
1/4/2018
Stage Five - Social contract driven
Individuals viewed as holding different opinions and values.

 Laws regarded as social contracts rather than rigid dictums.
 If do not promote the general welfare, should be changed when
necessary
 to meet the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
 Attained through majority decision, and inevitably compromise, e.g.
a democratic government .
15
Stage Six - Universal ethical principles driven
 Moral reasoning based on abstract reasoning using universal ethical
principles.
 Laws are valid only insofar as they are grounded in justice,
 a commitment to justice carries with it an obligation to disobey unjust laws.
 One acts because it is right, and not because it is instrumental,
expected, legal or previously agreed upon.
 Kohlberg insisted that stage six exists, but had difficulty finding people
who consistently used it.
 Appears that people rarely if ever reach stage six of Kohlberg's model.
16
 1/4/2018

Bersih 2 Bersih 4
 Reliability of Kohlberg's testing.
 Will a child evaluated one day by a particular researcher be assessed at the
same moral level a few days later by a different researcher?
 Kohlberg is biased against women.
 Kohlberg doesn't take into account the differences between men and
Soup kitchens in KL faced a
possible ban following the women.
announcement by Federal  Women are more likely to base their explanations for moral dilemmas on
Territories Minister Datuk Seri concepts such as caring and personal relationships – more likely to be
Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor scored at the Stage 3.
that they have to move out of
Munirah: We will not stop the city centre or face  Men, however, are more likely to base their decisions for moral dilemmas on
feeding the homeless! penalties. justice and equity – more likely to be scored at Stage 5 or 6.

17 19

 Is MORAL REASONING the same thing as MORAL

BEHAVIOR?  Overview on Lawrence Kohlberg
 For e.g., a person may say he will do something when given a
moral dilemma. Will that person behave in a way that is
 Explanation of Kohlberg’s Level and Stages of
consistent with what he says in a real life dilemma? Moral Development
 Some criticisms on the Stages
 Moral development theories have been driven from how
people live in the West.
 May not correctly identify moral development status of culturally
different people with such tests.

18 20
 1/4/2018

Additional Material:
Willard , N. (2007) Moral Development in the Information Age, University
of Oregon. Available:
http://tigger.uic.edu/~lnucci/MoralEd/articles/willard.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTzBrjxKHLg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25uWFqES0OA

21

22