While many psychologists accept Kohlberg's theory, they often highlight a critical distinction between moral reasoning and actual moral behavior. There can be a significant gap between what a person says they would do in a moral dilemma and their actions in a real-life situation, a concept sometimes summarized as not "walking the walk."

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Proposed by psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, this theory builds upon Jean Piaget's work on cognitive development. It posits that moral reasoning evolves through a distinct series of stages, much like cognitive abilities. Kohlberg developed this framework by presenting moral dilemmas to individuals of various ages and analyzing the logic behind their answers to determine their stage of moral reasoning. The theory suggests a progression from an egocentric moral perspective to one that encompasses the well-being of others and broader societal principles.

Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Kohlberg's theory can be broken down into three different stages of moral development that humans go through:
1. Pre-conventional Morality 
2. Conventional Morality
3. Post-conventional Morality 

Stages of Moral Reasoning 

To assess moral development, Lawrence Kohlberg utilized moral dilemmas, which are hypothetical scenarios like the well-known Heinz dilemma. The primary focus of his analysis was not the specific choice made (e.g., 'yes' or 'no'), but rather the underlying reasoning and justification for that choice. This rationale is what Kohlberg used to determine an individual's stage of moral reasoning.

Moral Dilemmas in Kohlberg's Theory

A key consideration in Kohlberg's theory is that an individual's moral reasoning is not always consistent. A person capable of sophisticated, post-conventional thinking in one scenario may employ simpler, pre-conventional reasoning in another, suggesting that the context of a situation can influence the moral stage applied.

Situational Influence on Moral Reasoning

Moral Reasoning vs. Moral Behavior

Lawrence Kohlberg suggested that there were gender-based differences in moral progression, positing that men were more likely than women to advance past stage four of moral development. Based on his framework, he concluded that women's moral reasoning abilities appeared to be deficient in comparison.

Kohlberg's View on Gender in Moral Development

Carol Gilligan is a psychologist who initially worked as a research assistant for Lawrence Kohlberg. She became a prominent critic of his theory of moral development, arguing against its perceived gender bias, and subsequently developed her own influential theories on the subject, as detailed in her book 'In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development'.

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