AGE
STAGE
DEFINATION
OBSERVATION
SUCCESS/UNSUCCESS
EXPLANATION
0-6
Pre- conventional moral reasoning
Moral thinking is based on reward/punishment obedience to power is important because there are consequences
The little 4 year old boy I observed chose not to grab a cookie from the cookie jar in their parent’s dining room. He kept repeating that if he did his “mommy would get mad “and he wouldn’t be allowed to watch TV. success He was successful because his moral thinking was based on the awareness of the possible punishment he might receive from his parents. He chose to follow his parents’/caretaker’s rules.
7-12
Conventional moral reasoning
Moral decisions are based on social acceptance and an expectation from authority figures. The person decides whether or not they want to please friends or authority figures.
I observed my 10 year old cousin with his friends at a jewel –Osco grocery store. His friends snuck off and invited him to go . I watched attentively but didn’t interface. I observed as some of his friends where stuffing candy in their pockets. They kept egging my cousin on about it but he refused. Later that day, I asked him why he hadn’t stolen anything. He said, “my mom and teacher say I shouldn’t steal so I don’t, I think it’s bad. success His decision to not steal candy was based off the expectations placed on him by his mother and teacher. He knows he shouldn’t because they expect him not to and find stealing socially unacceptable. He has, in turn, fused the concept that he shouldn’t steal with his own morality. Therefore, this scenario demonstrates success in this developmental stage.
13 AND UP
Post-conventional moral reasoning
Person has
