Transcript Possible Level One - Preconventional answers

Possible Level One - Preconventional answers
(Punishment-Obedience; Naive Reward):
Heinz should not steal the drug because he
might be caught and sent to jail
Heinz should steal the drug because if he
doesn’t then his wife might scold him
Heinz should steal the drug because it can cure
his wife and then she can cook for him
Heinz should not steal the drug because the
scientist spent many years of his life to make the
drug and deserves a reward
Possible Level Two answers – Conventional answers
(Good Boy-Nice Girl; Authority Orientation):
Heinz should steal the drug. He might go to jail
for a short time, but his in-laws will think he is a
good husband.
Brown should report Heinz because his boss will
be pleased.
Brown should not report what he saw; Heinz will
be pleased
The judge should not sentence Heinz to jail
because he meant well
Possible Level Two Conventional answers
continued
Heinz has a duty to steal the drug, but it is wrong
to steal, so Heinz should be prepared to go to jail
The judge should sentence Heinz to jail or else
there will be chaos in society
Possible Level Three - Postconventional
(Universal Ethical Principles; Morality of
individual principles & conscience) answers:
Everyone has the right to life regardless of the
law, so he should steal the drug. If he is caught
and prosecuted the law needs to be reevaluated
The scientist’s decision is despicable, but his
right to fair compensation must be maintained;
therefore, Heinz should not steal
Heinz should steal; preserving life is a higher
moral obligation than preserving property
1. What are the “two distinct
features” of Kohlberg’s theory?
Moral reasoning is
classified into three
distinct levels
Everyone
progresses through
the levels in order,
though not
everyone reaches
the highest level
2. What were the results of a review of various studies
testing Kohlberg’s hypothesis?
The majority of studies have supported his
ideas – people seem to progress in the order
he predicted, but at different ages
3. Criticisms
Results show moral thinking, not moral
behavior (although there is a modest
correlation; too much focus on Kohlberg’s
dilemmas)
Mixing of stages
Cultural disparities – concerns for social
justice are not found in all cultures
Men and women may differ in their moral
thinking – women are taught to have a “care
orientation” whereas men have a “justice
orientation”
Moral reasoning is dependent on the
biological development of the brain – the
prefrontal cortex must be properly
functioning
4. What have reviewers concluded
concerning Gilligan’s ideas about male and
female differences in moral reasoning?
Only weak support for Gilligan’s theory
Men and women use a mixture of care and
justice orientations depending on the situation