Kohlberg’s stages of development (15):
Kohlberg (Cassel & Bernstein, 2007:90) argued that there are three stages in the
development of moral thinking and decision making, namely:
Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional
Preconventional stage
During this stage, decisions about right and wrong are based on the threat of
punishment.
For instance, a child may refrain from taking money from his or her mother’s
purse because if the child is caught, the behaviour will be punished.
Similarly, an adult may resist the temptation to exceed the speed limit for fear
of being caught or fined.
Conventional stage
People see certain behaviours as right or wrong depending on whether
prevailing conventions, in the form of laws, say they are right or wrong.
Postconventional stage:
People make moral decisions, not just based on what the law says, but on
higher principles; in other words, people make their moral decisions on the view
of right and justice to which they personally subscribe.
Kohlberg and Siegel (2004:157) classifies people according to their stage of
moral development.
Kohlberg and his associates conducted studies that showed criminals to be
significantly lower in their moral development compared with non-criminals with
the same social background.
The development of moral reasoning does not take place in a vacuum. It
depends on what is learnt at home, from peers, and from society.
To develop law-abiding tendencies, children need to see patterns of moral
behaviour in parents and peers that is at least at the conventional stage.
Recent research indicates that the decision not to commit crimes may be
influenced by one’s stage of moral development.
People at the lowest levels report that they are deterred from crime simply
because of their fear of punishment.
Those in the middle consider the reactions of family and friends.
Those at the highest stages refrain from crime because they believe in the
concept of a duty to others and universal rights (Siegel, 2004:160).
Moral development theory suggests that people who obey the law simply to
avoid punishment or have outlooks mainly characterised by self-interest are
more likely to commit crimes than those who view the law as something that
benefits everybody.
Those at higher stages of moral reasoning tend to sympathise with the rights of
others and are associated with conventional behaviours such as honesty,
generosity, and nonviolence (Siegel, 2004:160).
Kohlberg (Cassel & Bernstein, 2007:90) argued that there are three stages in the
development of moral thinking and decision making, namely:
Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional
Preconventional stage
During this stage, decisions about right and wrong are based on the threat of
punishment.
For instance, a child may refrain from taking money from his or her mother’s
purse because if the child is caught, the behaviour will be punished.
Similarly, an adult may resist the temptation to exceed the speed limit for fear
of being caught or fined.
Conventional stage
People see certain behaviours as right or wrong depending on whether
prevailing conventions, in the form of laws, say they are right or wrong.
Postconventional stage:
People make moral decisions, not just based on what the law says, but on
higher principles; in other words, people make their moral decisions on the view
of right and justice to which they personally subscribe.
Kohlberg and Siegel (2004:157) classifies people according to their stage of
moral development.
Kohlberg and his associates conducted studies that showed criminals to be
significantly lower in their moral development compared with non-criminals with
the same social background.
The development of moral reasoning does not take place in a vacuum. It
depends on what is learnt at home, from peers, and from society.
To develop law-abiding tendencies, children need to see patterns of moral
behaviour in parents and peers that is at least at the conventional stage.
Recent research indicates that the decision not to commit crimes may be
influenced by one’s stage of moral development.
People at the lowest levels report that they are deterred from crime simply
because of their fear of punishment.
Those in the middle consider the reactions of family and friends.
Those at the highest stages refrain from crime because they believe in the
concept of a duty to others and universal rights (Siegel, 2004:160).
Moral development theory suggests that people who obey the law simply to
avoid punishment or have outlooks mainly characterised by self-interest are
more likely to commit crimes than those who view the law as something that
benefits everybody.
Those at higher stages of moral reasoning tend to sympathise with the rights of
others and are associated with conventional behaviours such as honesty,
generosity, and nonviolence (Siegel, 2004:160).
