Module 8 Educ 1

1. BYRON JOHN F. MENESES
DISCUSSANT
BYRON JOHN F. MENESES
DISCUSSANT

2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this Module, you should be able to
EXPLAINS THE STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT.
ANALYZE A PERSON’S LEVEL OF MORAL REASONING BASED ON HIS
RESPONSES TO MORAL DILEMMAS.
CITE HOW THE THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT CAN BE
APPLIED TO YOUR WORK AS TEACHER LATER ON.

3. INTRODUCTION INDIVIDUALS, WHEN CONFRONTED BY
SITUATION WHERE THEY NEED TO MAKE
MORAL DECISIONS, EXERCISE THEIR OWN
ABILITY TO USE MORAL REASONING.
LAWRENCE KOHLBERG WAS INTERESTED IN
STUDYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF MORAL
REASONING. HE BASED HIS THEORY ON THE
FINDINGS OF PIAGET IN STUDYING COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT. OUR ABILITY TO CHOOSE
RIGHT FROM WRONG IS TIED WITH OUR
ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND REASON
LOGICALLY.

4. • Lawrence Kohlberg formulated a
theory asserting that individuals
progress through six distinct stages of
moral reasoning from infancy to
adulthood.
• He grouped these stages into three
broad categories of moral reasoning,
pre-conventional, conventional, and
post-conventional. Each level is
associated with increasingly complex
stages of moral development.
• Kohlberg suggested that people move
through these stages in a fixed order
and that moral understanding is linked
to cognitive development.

6. Level 1: Preconventional Morality 0-9 years
Stage 1 - Obedience and Punishment
Especially common in young children, but adults can express this type
of reasoning. At this stage, children see rules as fixed and absolute.
Obeys rules to avoid punishment
Determines a sense of right and wrong by what is punished and what is
not punished
Obeys superior authority and allows that authority to make the rules,
especially if that authority has the power to inflict pain
Is responsive to rules that will affect his/her physical well-being

7. Stage 2 – Naively egotistical
At this stage of moral development, children account for individual points of
view and judge actions based on how they serve individual needs.
Reciprocity is possible, but only if it serves one's own interests.
Is motivated by vengeance or “an eye for an eye” philosophy.
Is self-absorbed while assuming that he/she is generous.
Believes in equal sharing in that everyone gets the same, regardless of need
Believes that the end justifies the means.
Will do a favor only to get a favor.
Expects to be rewarded for every non-selfish deed he/she does..

8. Level 2: Conventional Morality 10-15 years
Stage 3 - "good boy-good girl" orientation
This stage of moral development is focused on living up to social
expectations and roles. There is an emphasis on conformity, being
"nice," and consideration of how choices influence relationships.
Finds peer approval very important.
Feels that intensions are as important as deeds and expects others to
accept intentions or promises in place of deeds
Begins to put himself/herself in another’s shoes and think from
another perspective.

9. Stage 4 – Law and Social Order
At this stage of moral development, people begin to consider society as a
whole when making judgments. The focus is on maintaining law and order
by following the rules, doing one’s duty, and respecting authority.
Is a duty doer who believes in rigid rules that should not be changed
Respects authority and obeys it without question
Supports the rights of the majority without concern for those in the
minority
Is part of about 80% of the population that does not progress past stage 4

10. Level 3: Postconventional Morality – 16+
Stage 5 - Legalistic Social Contract
At this stage, people begin to account for the differing values, opinions,
and beliefs of other people. Rules of law are important for maintaining
a society, but members of
the society should agree upon these standards.
Is motivated by the belief in the greatest amount of good for the
greatest number of people
Believes in consensus (everyone agrees), rather than in majority rule
Respects the rights of the minority especially the rights of the
individual
Believes that change in the law is possible but only through the system

11. Stage 6 – Universal ethical Principles
Kohlberg's final level of moral reasoning is based upon universal ethical
principles and abstract reasoning. At this stage, people follow these
internalized principles of justice, even if they conflict with laws and
rules.
Believes that there are high moral principles than those represented by
social rules and customs.
Is willing to accept the consequences for disobedience of the social rule
he/she has rejected.
Believes that the dignity of humanity is sacred and that all humans
have value.

12. A woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There
was one drug that the doctor's thought might save her. It was a
form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently
discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist
was charging ten times what the drug cost him to produce. He
paid $200 for the radium and charged $2,000 for a small dose
of the drug. The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to
everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get
together about $1,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the
druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper
or let him pay later. But the druggist said: "No, I discovered the
drug and I'm going to make money from it.“ So Heinz got
desperate and broke into the man's store to steal the drug for
his wife.
Should Heinz have broken into the laboratory to steal the drug
for his wife? Why or why not?
Heinz dilemma

13. What would you do?
_____________________________________
__________________________________
Kohlberg asked a series of questions such as:
1. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?
2. Would it change anything if Heinz did not love his wife?
3. What if the person dying was a stranger, would it make any difference?
4. Should the police arrest the chemist for murder if the woman dies?

14. LEVEL STAGE HEINZ SHOULD STEAL THE DRUG, BECAUSE HEINZ SHOULD NOT STEAL THE
DRUG, BECAUSE
Preconventional 1. Avoiding Punishment It is only worth $200 and not how much the druggist
wanted for it; Heinz had even offered to pay for it
and was not stealing anything else.
He will consequently be put in
prison which will mean he is a
bad person.
2. Self-Interest He will be much happier if he saves his wife,
even if he must serve a prison sentence.
Prison is an awful place, and he
would more likely languish in a
jail cell than over his wife's
death.
Conventional 3. Good boy attitude His wife expects it; he wants to be a good
husband.
Stealing is bad and he is not a
criminal; he has tried to do
everything he can without
breaking the law, you cannot
blame him.
4. Law & Order Morality His wife will benefit, but he should also take
the prescribed punishment for the crime as
well as paying the druggist what he is owed.
Criminals cannot just run around without
regard for the law; actions have
consequences.
The law prohibits stealing.

15. LEVEL STAGE DEFINITION RESPONSE TO HEINZ
DILEMMA
Postconventional Social contract orientation Everyone has a right to choose
life, regardless of the law.
The scientist has a right to fair
compensation. Even if his wife
is sick, it does not make his
actions right.
Universal human ethics Saving a human life is a more
fundamental value than the
property rights of another
person.
Others may need the
medicine just as badly, and
their lives are equally
significant.

16. ACTIVITY
IDENTIFY THE STAGE OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT SHOWN IN THE FOLLOWING:
_____1. JOY ALLOW HER CLASSMATES TO COPY HER HOMEWORK SO THAT THEY WILL
THINK SHE IS KIND AND WILL LIKE HER TO BE THEIR FRIEND.
_____2. RICKY DOES EVERYHING TO GET PASSING GRADES BECAUSE HIS MOM WILL
TAKE HIS PLAYSTATION AWAY IF HE GETS BAD GRADES.
_____3. A CIVIC ACTION GROUP PROTEST THE USE OF PILLS FOR FAMILY PLANNING,
SAYING THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT ALLOW THIS, IT IS ACTUALLY MURDER
BECAUSE THE PILLS ARE ABORTIFACIENT. (CAUSES ABORTION)
_____4. JINKY LETS HANNAH COPY DURING THEIR MATH TEST BECAUSE AGREED TO
LET HER TO COPY DURING THEIR SIBIKA TEST.
_____5. KAREN DECIDES TO RETURN THE WALLET SHE FOUND IN THE CANTEEN SO
THAT PEOPLE WILL PRAISE HER HONESTY AND THINK SHE’S SUCH A NICE GIRL.

17. _____6. JOHN DECIDES TO RETURN THE WALLET HE FOUND IN THE CANTEEN
BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
_____7. LYKA WEARS HER ID INSIDE THE CAMPUS BECAUSE SHE LIKES TO
FOLLOW THE SCHOOL RULES AND REGULATION.
_____8. A JEEPNEY DRIVER LOOKS IF THERE’S A POLICEMAN ROUND BEFORE,
HE U-TURNS IN A NO U-TURN SPOT.
_____9. LIZA VOLUNTEERS TO TUTOR CHILDREN AT-RISK CHILDREN IN HER
COMMUNITY FOR FREE SO THEY WILL LEARN TO LOVE SCHOOL AND STAY IN
SCHOOL.
_____10. LITTLE RIEL BEHAVES SO WELL TO GET A STAR STAMP FROM HER
TEACHER.

18. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING