2. KEY TERMS
Conventional morality: the second level
of moral development in Kohlberg’s
theory; at this level, moral reasoning
focuses on having the approval of others.
Morality of care: this is a form of
morality in which the individual
emphasises the importance of
compassion and human well-being when
deciding what is morally acceptable.
Morality of justice: this is a form of
morality in which the individual
emphasizes the importance of laws and
of moral principles when deciding what is
morally acceptable.
3. Peers: children of approximately the same
age as a given child.
Post-conventional morality: the third
level of moral development in Kohlberg’s
theory; at this level, moral reasoning
focuses on justice and the need for others
to be treated in a respectful way.
Pre-conventional morality: the first level
of moral development in Kohlberg’s
theory; at this level, moral reasoning
focuses on rewards and punishments for
good and bad actions.
4. INTRODUCTION- MOLE AND PORCUPINE AND MORAL CONFLICTS
A community of moles gives shelter to a homeless porcupine. The moles,
however, are constantly stabbed by the porcupine's quills. What should they
do? There are two options
First to see any dilemma as a conflict between different claims/perspective
called justice-based perspective .
⚫ The moles want one thing; the porcupine wants something incompatible.
⚫ They can't both have a valid claim on the burrow, so only one of them can be
right.
⚫ A solution to the dilemma is not a resolution of the conflict; it's a verdict, in
which one side gets everything and the other side gets nothing.
Second rather than decoding conflict one way or the other but find a solution
which damages none called care-based perspective
⚫ Rather than seeing all the parties as separate individuals with their own valid
or invalid claims, it sees them as already in a difficult situation together.
⚫ If there is a conflict between them, that is part of the problem.
⚫ The point is not to decide the conflict one way or the other but to find a way to
get around it or remove it.
⚫ This perspective starts from the particular case and the actual people within it
and hopes to find a solution that will not damage anyone.
⚫ It will be ready to embrace compromise and creative solutions.
Researchers have found a tendency for males to adopt the justice perspective
and for females to be more likely than males to adopt the caring perspective.
5. INTRODUCTION
This scenario was used to aid in the development of a theory
that argued women and men may have differing paths to moral
development.
The field of moral development encompasses
⚫ Prosocial behavior, such as
Altruism,
Caring and
Helping,
⚫ Traits such as
Honesty,
Fairness, and
Respect.
6. CARE-BASED MORALITY & JUSTICE-BASED
MORALITY
Gilligan proposed the Stages of the Ethics of Care theory, which addresses
what makes actions 'right' or 'wrong'. Gilligan's theory focused on both care-
based morality and justice-based morality.
Care-based morality is based on the following principles:
⚫ Emphasizes interconnectedness and universality.
⚫ Acting justly means avoiding violence and helping those in need.
⚫ Care-based morality is thought to be more common in girls because of their
connections to their mothers.
⚫ Because girls remain connected to their mothers, they are less inclined to
worry about issues of fairness.
Justice-based morality is based on the following principles:
⚫ Views the world as being composed of autonomous individuals who interact
with another.
⚫ Acting justly means avoiding inequality.
⚫ Is thought to be more common in boys because of their need to differentiate
between themselves and their mothers.
⚫ Because they are separated from their mothers, boys become more
concerned with the concept of inequality.
7. CAROL GILLIGAN & MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Carol Gilligan was a research assistant for the great theorist of moral
development, Lawrence Kohlberg. Gilligan became independent and began to
criticize some of Kohlberg' s work.
Her opinions were presented in her famous book, " In a different Voice:
Psychological Theory and Women ' s Development " which was published in
1982.
Gilligan criticized Kohlberg’s work on two things:
⚫ She felt that Kohlberg only studied " privileged, white men and boys. "
Gilligan said that this caused a biased opinion against women.
⚫ She felt that , in Kohlberg ' s stage theory of moral development, the male
view of individual rights and rules was considered a higher at stage 4
against women at stage 3 disregarding women's point of view of
development in terms of its caring effect on human relationships.
" Gilligan ' s goal was to prove that women are not " moral midgets " , she was
going against many psychological opinions.
⚫ Another famous theorist, Freud thought women ' s moral sense was stunted
because they stayed attached to their mothers.
⚫ Another great theorist , Erik Erickson , thought the tasks of development
were separation from mother and the family , If women did not succeed in
this scale, then they were obviously lacking.
8.
9.
10. STAGES OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT
Her theory is divided into three stages of moral development beginning
from " selfish , to social or conventional morality , and finally to post
conventional or principled morality . "
⚫ Women must learn to deal to their own interests and to the interests of
others .
⚫ She thinks that women hesitate to judge because they see the
complexities of relationships.
Pre Conventional
-Person only cares for themselves in order to ensure survival
-This is how everyone is as children
⚫ In this transitional phase, the person 's attitude is considered selfish, and the
person sees the connection between themselves and others.
Conventional
-Responsibility
-More care shown for other people.
-Gilligan says this is shown in the role of Mother & Wife
-Situation sometimes carries on to ignoring needs of self.
⚫ In this transitional phase, tensions between responsibility of caring for others
and caring for self are faced.
Post Conventional
-Acceptance of the principle of care for self and others is shown.
-Some people never reach this level.
11.
12.
13. IS SHE WRONG?
There has been some criticism of Gilligan's work and by
Christina Hoff Sommers .
⚫ She says that Gilligan does not have data for her research.
⚫ She says Gilligan used unreliable evidence, that researchers
have not been able to duplicate her work, and that the
samples used were too small.
⚫ She feels strongly that promoting an anti-male agenda hurts
both males and females.
⚫ Gilligan says that her work has been published in articles and
journals and Sommer ' s points are inaccurate.
14. GILLIGAN' S THEORY AND
SOCIETY
Gilligan's ideas are against the struggle of women against our
society's idea of their " gender-determined " role.
⚫ According to Gilligan , women can gain personal
independence after they forget about the idea that their
proper role is to overcome their interests to the interests of
their husbands, children, or other people they care about.
⚫ Gilligan says that in our society women really like to help
others, however they should care just as much about
themselves as the do about others.
15. GILLIGAN'S THEORY AND EDUCATION
Carol Gilligan's theory helps both men and women in seeing
each other in a different perspective.
⚫ In terms of education everyone should focus on it and
everyone's need for education is important.
⚫ A person should not put the needs of others in front of
their own, especially in the case of education
16. GILLIGAN'S THEORY AND THE
WORKPLACE
A person could undergo this process of "the ethic of
care" when entering a new job.
⚫ The conventional stage is shown when the job is
just acquired, and a good impression is trying to
be made.
⚫ This is followed by the conventional stage, which
can be seen after developing relationships with
colleagues.
⚫ This might be followed by the post conventional
stage when care for oneself and another
colleague might be equal. (Not everyone reaches
the post conventional stage)
