[Author’s Name]
[Institution’s Name]
Essay on Stage Dependent Theorists
Stage theorists assume that growth and development happens in terms of definable stages generally related to age. Development differs from stage to stage which varies across different theories. Thus, Piaget might say that a four year old child can perform certain mental functions. Obviously, there are enough individual differences to dispute much of the thinking of the stage theorists. Some characteristic proponents have been Freud, Piaget, Kohlberg and Erikson.
- Development of moral reasoning.
- Moral judgments are the products of an individual’s thinking about moral problems.
- Cognitive development is a prerequisite for moral development, but that must be combined with social experiences to stimulate the mental processes to move to the next stage.
- Individuals’ progress through the stages in a fixed order and each stage is built on the previous stage.
- Behavior is not the distinguishing factor between stages—the reasoning underlying how a moral problem is processed determines movement
- Kohlberg’s stages
- Level I—preconventional morality—consists of the stages of obedience/punishment and individualism/exchange
- Level II—conventional morality—consist of good interpersonal relationships and maintaining social order
- Level III—post conventional morality—consists of social contract/individual rights and universal principles
- Kohlberg developed a series of moral dilemmas to study moral reasoning
One important point made by Kohlberg is that creating higher-stage institutional environments for people can increase the level of moral reasoning. This conclusion is based on observations of moral regression occurring for those sentenced to prison or reform school, whereas adolescents in Israeli kibbutzim do seem to move toward higher stages.1° In addition, preliminary studies suggest the existence of the so-called "Blatt Effect," in which a specific mode of instruction seems to elevate level of moral development.'' Instruction based on amusing controversies about moral choice and on "Socratic" questioning about the reasons................
