Lawrence Kohlberg
Theory of Moral Development.
How do we decide what is right and wrong?
1. The Famous "Heinz Dilemma"
Kohlberg didn't care if you said "Yes" or "No." He only cared about WHY you made your choice.
The Story: Heinz’s wife is dying of a rare cancer. A local pharmacist invented a drug that can save her, but he is charging 10 times what it costs to make. Heinz begs him to lower the price, but the pharmacist refuses. Desperate, Heinz breaks into the pharmacy and steals the drug to save his wife.
Question: Was Heinz right or wrong?
2. The 3 Levels & 6 Stages
LEVEL 1: Pre-Conventional (Age 4-10)
The "ME" PhaseStage 1: Punishment & Obedience
Rules are followed only to avoid getting hurt or grounded.
Stage 2: Tit-for-Tat (Mutual Exchange)
"You scratch my back, I scratch yours." Pure self-interest.
LEVEL 2: Conventional (Age 10-13)
The "SOCIETY" PhaseStage 3: Good Boy / Good Girl
Acting a certain way to get approval from friends/family.
Stage 4: Law & Order
Blind obedience to the law. Rules cannot be broken under ANY circumstance.
LEVEL 3: Post-Conventional (Teens & Adults)
The "HERO" PhaseStage 5: Social Contract
Laws are important, but human life is more important. The law needs changing.
Stage 6: Universal Ethics
Following an internal moral compass (justice, equality), even if it means sacrificing oneself.
3. The Major Criticism (Carol Gilligan)
Carol Gilligan
If you see a question asking for a criticism of Kohlberg, look for Carol Gilligan. She was a student of Kohlberg who pointed out a massive flaw in his research.
- 📌 Gender Bias: Kohlberg only tested boys and men. He concluded that women often score lower (around Stage 3) than men (Stage 4).
- 📌 Ethics of Care: Gilligan argued that men focus on an "Ethic of Justice" (rules, logic, law), while women naturally focus on an "Ethic of Care" (relationships, compassion, no one getting hurt). Neither is worse, just different.
The Pedagogy "Teacher Rule"
A teacher should: Facilitate classroom discussions on moral dilemmas. Ask "Why?" to help students move from Stage 2 (Tit-for-Tat) to Stage 3 and beyond.
A teacher should NEVER: Rely solely on punishment (Stage 1) to control a classroom, as this prevents students from internalizing what is actually right and wrong.