Lawrence Kohlberg, influenced by Piaget, proposed moral reasoning develops in stages.
The 'Heinz Dilemma': Should a man steal medicine to save his dying wife?
The REASONING, not the answer, determines the moral level.
3 Levels, 6 Stages:
Preconventional (Children)
1. Punishment avoidance: 'I'll get caught'
2. Reward seeking: 'What's in it for me?'
Conventional (Most teens/adults)
3. Good boy/girl: 'People will think well of me'
4. Law and order: 'It's the law'
Postconventional (Some adults)
5. Social contract: 'Laws can be imperfect'
6. Universal principles: 'Human life trumps property'
Criticism: Western-centric, gender bias (Carol Gilligan's critique)
Developmental
Kohlberg's Moral Development
Morality develops in stages