Lawrence Kohlberg: Theory of Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) was a psychologist, who came up with the Theory
of Moral Development. Kohlberg built on Piagets theory of discrete, linear stages of
cognitive development (Woolfolk. 2015), and applied it to the moral development of
children. Based on subjects responses to moral dilemmas he posed, Kohlberg would
determine the level of moral reasoning his subjects had attained.
Kohlbergs is a three-stage theory, including the Pre-Conventional, Conventional,
and Post-Conventional Stages of Morality. Each stage contains two sub-stages,
which describe the structure of thinking individuals use when they reason through
a moral dilemma (Stephens. 2009).
Figure 1
Stage

Sub-stage, and characteristics of sub-stage.

1.Pre-Conventional
Morality
Takes into account only the
persons own needs.

1. Obedience OrientationDoes good to avoid aversive consequences

(punishment).

2. Conventional Morality
Takes into account the
expectations of society and
law.
3. Post-Conventional
Morality
Based more on abstract,
personal ideas that arent
necessarily in line with
societys laws.

2. Rewards/Exchange Orientation- Does good to get

what they want/need. May help others for
reciprocal reward.
3. Good Boy/Nice Girl Orientation- Does good to
please authority figures, and receive approval.
4. Law and Order Orientation- Does good because
rules must be followed to preserve order.
5. Social Contract Orientation- Does good to fulfill
their responsibility to the collective social contract
of their group.
6. Universal Ethical Principles Orientation- Does
good to satisfy their own conscience, which holds
certain ethical principles above any law.

Age
range
(generall
y)
Age 4-10

Age 4-10

Late
Childhood
Adolescen
ce
Few
people
reach this
stage.
Even
fewer
people
reach this
stage.

Stages: (Woolfolk. 2015) Age data: (Stephens. 2009)

Kohlberg found that all people progress in one direction through the stages, as they
grow and change, but at different rates 1 (Stephens. 2009). There are many
questions about Kohlbergs theories (Woolfolk. 2015), but he provides us with a

1 KSA 5: Students can learn, albeit at different rates and in different ways

variety of tools to use in our classroom, and he can help us master KSAs 1 2 and 73,
as we try to engender good morals in our students.
Elementary School
In elementary school, most children are in the Pre-Conventional stages of moral
development (See Figure 1, sub-stages 1 and 2). In the first sub-stage, Obedience
Orientation, children have an unquestioning deference to superior power, and
understand right or wrong based on consequences. At this stage, children think
egocentrically (Stephens. 2009), and obey authority to avoid punishment for
disobedience (Woolfolk. 2015).
In the second sub-stage, Rewards/Exchange Orientation, children understand right
and wrong based on satisfying their own needs first, and the needs of others
second. They begin to practice basic reciprocity, and start understanding that other
people have their own needs. They will help others if it benefits them, as they
continue to think egocentrically (Stephens. 2009).
Teaching Strategies for Elementary Students
Classroom Contract- Sub-stage 1 Strategy
Create a classroom contract that each student signs, incorporating the rules of the
classroom. To make it more effective, the students should assist in creating the rules
for the class. This increases the likelihood of them following the rules 4.
Stickers and Tokens- Sub-stage 2 Strategy
Attach stickers to students work, or hand out redeemable tokens to students that
present good work or good behaviour 5. (Bentham. 2006)
Role-Playing- Sub-stage 2 Strategy
Additionally, to get students to understand different points of view, a class can
create a play from fairy tales, or other moral stories, like The Boy who Cried Wolf,
and have the children act as various characters so that they can understand a
variety of viewpoints, and build empathy. (The Best Childrens Books, n.d., How to
use storytelling to improve Behavior, para. 1)
Middle School

2 KSA 1: How contextual variables affect teaching and learning

3 KSA 7: Students needs for physical, social, cultural, and psychological security
4 KSA 7: Recognize students need for securityapply a variety of management
strategies
5 KSA 7: Recognize students need for securityapply a variety of management
strategies

As children move into adolescence and leave elementary school for middle school,
they often will simultaneously start advancing from the pre-conventional stages of
moral development, to the Conventional stages. (See Figure 1, Sub-stages 3 and
4).
Kohlberg developed a method of how to properly apply his theory within a
classroom setting. He suggests that teachers should give their students dilemmas
to think about and develop their moral reasoning, which is ideal in promoting
adolescent growth6. Kohlberg says that giving students dilemmas will lead them into
a state of disequilibrium. This will make them feel confused and disturbed, which
will lead them to figure out their own personal stance on difficult issues, and to grow
in the process. (Newton. 1978)
Teaching Strategy for Middle School
Go Ask Socrates
To teach moral development, Kohlberg tells teachers to practice the Socratic
Method, which he tested in a junior high social studies classroom. The Socratic
Method is a 5-step procedure:
1. Introduce and clarify a moral dilemma and any pertinent facts and
circumstances
2. Ask students to take tentative position on appropriate action
3. Divide the class into small groups to discuss their reasoning
4. Test and question the whole class
5. Encourage the students to re-evaluate their original position individually
(Schemrich. 2003)
Using this method Kohlberg found that one third to half of the students moved up a
moral development stage. To facilitate this growth, teachers must become
questioners instead of lecturers7. In this way students can learn application skills,
instead of just rote knowledge and memorisation. (Schemrich. 2003)
High School
At this stage, students usually know what is expected of them in society. As a
teacher you should continue to challenge their ideas by posing dilemmas, and
helping students solve them (Newton. 1978). Helping students learn to solve
problems is crucial in order for them to enter the Post-Conventional Stages of
morality (See Figure 1, sub-stages 5 and 6), with the ability to solve problems in a
future that we cannot predict. However, empirical research suggests that most of
them will probably never enter these stages (Stephens. 2009).
Teaching Strategies for High School

6 KSA 14: The importance of contributing independently, and collegially to the

quality of their school
7 KSA 11: The purposes of student assessment

Build Advocacy Skills

Allow students to argue why they should get a better mark on the test, explain why
they should stand up to bullies, and try to resolve conflict with others. By letting the
students voice their opinions, you are showing them that situations exist in which
rules are not absolute, and that through reasoning, some situations can be changed.
This is good for moral action development and requires individual practice 8.
(Stephens. 2009)
More Role-Playing
Provide opportunities for students to see the other side of the coin - In roleplaying, writing, or debate exercises, have students take the perspective of others
(e.g., classmates, historical figures, politicians). Have them call attention to
examples of caring and justice, as well as insensitivity and injustice. In doing so,
teachers can help students identify, express, and manage moral emotions and
issues. This is good for developing moral sensitivity (Stephens. 2009)
Closing Thought
It should be noted that KSA 6: The teacher understands the purposes of short,
medium, and long range term planning can be used in a broad sense to encourage
the use of Kohlberg-based exercises in education. KSA 6 states: the teacher should
know how to translatedesired outcomes into reasoned, meaningful, and
incrementally progressive learning opportunities for students. When framed in this
way, it becomes evident that any outcomes involving empowering students to
become thoughtful, ethical citizens9, can be realized in part through using the
activities prescribed by Kohlberg to incrementally build on students ability to
reason morally. (Alberta. 1997) Thank you for reading!

References
Alberta. (1997). Teaching Quality Standard Applicable to the Provision of Basic
Education in Alberta.
8 KSA 14: The importance of contributing independently, and collegially to the
quality of their school
9 For instance, Grade 1 Social Studies GLO: The student will understandhow
active members in a community contribute to the well-being, growth and vitality of
their groups and communities, could be realized using the classroom contract as
an object lesson on citizen participation in government, and a mutually beneficial
agreement between community members, as well as serving as a classroom
management technique.

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The Best Children's Books. (n.d.). How to use storytelling to improve behavior.
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