KOHLBERG’S THOERY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT INTRODUCTION

KOHLBERG’S THOERY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

                         Moral Development refers to the development of a sense of justice. It is the development of the ability to distinguish what is right and what is wrong,what is good and what is bad

                Lawrence Kohlberg, a famous American psychologist, did a detailed research about how moral development happens in a person. Kohlberg says that as the child grows, his thinking about morality also changes. He also points out that the moral development of the child largely depends on his intellectual development

                LEVELS OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT

                According to Kohlberg every person passes through three levels of moral development and in each level, there are two distinct stages.

1)  Level 1. Pre Conventional Level ( 4-10 years)

2)  Level 2. Conventional Level      ( 10-13 years)

3)  Post conventional Level            (13 and above)

1.   THE PRE-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL  ( 4-10 years )

During this level, the child is not aware of the conventional norms of the society. He does not know the generally accepted moral principles of the society. Here what is right and what is wrong is decided by the higher authorities like parents,teachers,elders,etc.. of the child. At this level there are two distinct stages.

Stage 1 . OBDEDIENCE TO AVOID PUNISHMENT  : At this stage the child believes that all those activites that invite punishment from higher authority  are wrong

Stage 2 : OBEDIENCE TO GET REWARD  :  At this stage the child believes that all those activites that invite reward from higher authority are right

2 . THE CONVENTIONAL LEVEL  ( 10-13 years)

    During this level, the child is aware of the conventional moral norms of the society. He knows the generally accepted moral principles of the friends and society. So he tries to follow the conventional moral principles of his surroundings. This level also has two stages :

Stage 3 : OBEDIENCE TO THE WISHES OF FRIENDS AND OTHERS :            

            Here the child tries to follow the moral principles of his friends and others to get ‘good boy’ ,’good girl’ image in the team. Friends circle determines what is right and what is wrong.

Stage 4 : OBEDIENCE TO LAW AND ORDER :    At this stage the child starts to think beyond the wishes of friends. Here the child considers the generally accepted Law and order of the society. He will obey the Law and order of the authority.

3.   THE POST-CONVENTIONAL LEVEL ( 13 and above)

At this level, the person starts to think beyond the conventional ways of the society. He gives more importance to democratic values, universal ethics and conscience than the Law and Order.

Stage 5 : OBEDIENCE TO DEMOCRATIC VALUES :  At this point, the person gives more importance  to the wishes of the majority. He even will disagree with the Law and Order of the authority if it is against the majority and individual right.

Stage 6 : OBEDIENCE TO ONE’S OWN CONSCIENCE  :  It is the final stage of the moral development. At this point, the person only considers his own conscience and universal values. Even he may disagree with the majority if the majority is against his conscience

ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN MORAL DEVELOPMENT

The following points may be helpful for the teacher in his effort to inculcate right moral values in his pupils

1.   The child learns moral behaviour through identification  and imitation. So the parents and teacher should serve as good models for imitative learning as fas as character concerned.

2.   Direct teaching is also important in the early formation of moral concepts. So the school must teach the child what is right and what is wrong and persuade him to act as society expects.

3.   Development of sentiments or attitudes is basic to moral development and self concept is central to moral growth. So the teacher should take necessary steps to develop a positive self concept in children. Good mental health practices, use of positive reinforces, individual learning, opportunity for success and achievement etc. can help students develop a positive self concept and consequently desirable moral behavior.

4.   Organisation of group projects, group games, school parliament, morning assembly, celebration of national days and festivals etc will help children in character formation

5.   The teacher should stress moral qualities like love,sacrifice,self control,truthfulness and uprightness etc in the teaching of different subjects like civics,art and literature

6.   Provide moral education to children through out the school life. It will help to develop worthy ideas, highest values and noble aims of life so that children can imbide good virtues in them

Minimol.M

Social Science