Introduction to Moral Development

Moral development is a key aspect of developmental psychology. It explores the progression of understanding what is right and wrong over the course of a person’s life stages.
Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg are seminal figures in this field.

Piaget’s Theory of Moral Development

Piaget split moral development into two stages: the heteronomous morality stage (ages 4-7) and the stage of autonomous morality (ages 10 and older).
In heteronomous morality, children think in a simplistic, black-and-white way, believe rules are fixed, and judge wrongness by the outcomes rather than intentions.
In autonomous morality, children understand that morals are not just about rules, but also about fairness and equality. They can judge wrongness based on intentions, not outcomes.

Kohlberg extended Piaget’s work into a six-stage theory, divided into three levels: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional.
At the pre-conventional level, children believe that rules are fixed and breaking them leads to punishment, similar to Piaget’s heteronomous stage.
At the conventional level, children realise that rules are important for societal order, but they still primarily follow them out of fear of punishment or to fit in with social norms.
At the post-conventional level, individuals understand that rules and laws are not absolute, and may need to be broken in some cases to uphold higher moral principles.

Critics argue that both theories are overly focused on reasoning and cognition, ignoring emotional factors in moral decision-making.
Carol Gilligan, a prominent critic, claimed there was a gender bias in Kohlberg’s work, as the theory was predominantly based on research with boys.
Cross-cultural critiques suggest these theories may not be universally applicable, as they are based on a Western concept of morality.

Understanding moral development helps in educating children and adolescents about ethical behaviour.
Professionals like teachers or therapists can use this understanding in designing interventions or counselling sessions.
In legal contexts, these theories can contribute in understanding the culpability and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.