STRUCTURALISM:
MORAL DEVELOPMENT
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QUESTION: WHERE DOES NOVELTY
COME FROM?
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HOW DOES A CHILD DEVELOP A
SYSTEM OF MORALS?
THREE METAPHORS FOR
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION
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CHILD BORN GOOD
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CHILD BORN EVIL
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ROUSSEAU
ROLE OF SOCIETY: DON’T CORRUPT
ORIGINAL SIN
FREUD
ROLE OF SOCIETY: PUT CONTROLS ON CHILD
CHILD BORN NEUTRAL
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SKINNER
ROLE OF SOCIETY: PROVIDE POSITIVE
ENVIRONMENT THAT GETS INTERNALIZED
KOHLBERG
STRUCTURALIST APPROACH
TO MORAL DEVELOPMENT
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WHAT ARE THE BASIC TENETS OF THE
STRUCTURALIS APPROACH?
STRUCTURALIST APPROACH
TO MORAL DEVELOPMENT
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UNIVERSAL DEVELOPMENT
INVARIANT SEQUENCE OF
STRUCTURES
QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN STRUCTURES
STRUCTURALIST APPROACH
TO MORAL DEVELOPMENT
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PROBLEM WITH UNIVERSAL MORAL
DEVELOPMENT?
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ENORMOUS DIVERSITY
WHERE IS UNIVERSALITY?
STRUCTURALIST APPROACH
TO MORAL DEVELOPMENT
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KOHLBERG ARGUES THAT THERE ARE 25
UNIVERSAL ASPECTS TO MORAL
JUDGMENTS
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COMMON TO ALL CULTURES
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PROPERTY RIGHTS
PUNISHMENT
CONSIDERING MOTIVES IN JUDGING ACTIONS
CONSIDERING CONSEQUENCES IN JUDGING ACTIONS
CONTRACT
METHODOLOGY
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GIVE A PERSON A HYPOTHETICAL
SITUATION IN STORY FORM
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STORY CONTAINS A MORAL DILEMMA
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ASK THE PERSON TO JUDGE ANOTHER’S
ACTIONS (JUDGMENT)
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ASK THE PERSON TO JUSTIFY HIS/HER
JUDGMENT
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WHY DO YOU THINK …?
METHODOLOGY

PEOPLE’S DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE IS
DETERMINED BY THEIR
JUSTIFICATIONS
EXAMPLE OF METHODOLOGY
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION:
In Europe, a woman was near death from cancer.
One drug might save her, a form of radium that a
druggist in the same town had recently
discovered. The druggist was charging $2,000,
ten times what the drug cost him to make. The
sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone
he knew to borrow the money, but he could get
together about half of what it cost.
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EXAMPLE OF METHODOLOGY
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION (continued)
He told the druggist that his wife was dying
and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him
pay it later. But the druggist said, “no.”
The husband got desperate and broke into
the man’s store to steal the drug for his
wife.
EXAMPLE OF METHODOLOGY
MORAL DILEMMA: STEALING VERSUS SAVING
A LIFE
JUDGMENT: SHOULD THE HUSBAND HAVE
STOLEN?
JUSTIFICATION: WHY DO YOU THINK HE
SHOULD HAVE/SHOULD NOT HAVE
STOLEN?
EXAMPLE OF METHODOLOGY
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IF KOHLBERG BASED HIS STAGE ANALYSIS
ON JUDGMENTS, THERE WOULD BE TWO
STAGES
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YES STEAL
NO STEALING
KOHLBERG BASED STAGE ANALYSIS ON
PEOPLE’S JUSTIFICATIONS
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PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MORAL
DEVELOPMENT COULD GIVE THE SAME
JUDGMENT BUT JUSTIFY IT WITH DIFFERENT
LEVEL JUSTIFICATIONS
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING
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THREE LEVELS AND SIX STAGES
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LEVEL 1
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LEVEL 2
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STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
LEVEL 3
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STAGE 5
STAGE 6
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 1
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LEVEL 1: MORAL VALUE RESIDES IN
EXTERNAL EVENTS OR PHYSICAL NEEDS
RATHER THAN IN PEOPLE AND STANDARDS
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STAGE 1: ORIENTATION TO OBEDIENCE AND
PUNISHMENT
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DEFERENCE TO SUPERIOR POWER OR PRESTIGE
AVOID TROUBLE SO AS NOT TO BE IN A POSITION
WHERE YOU CAN BE PUNISHED
RESPONSIBILITY IN OBJECTIVE SITUATION (RESULTS)
NOT IN SUBJECTIVE INTENTIONS
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 1
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TYPICAL STAGE 1 JUSTIFICATIONS,
RELATING TO ACTION MOTIVATED BY
AVOIDANCE OF PUNISHMENT
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PRO: If you let your wife die, you will get into trouble.
You’ll be blamed for not spending your money to save
her and there will be an investigation of you and the
druggist for your wife’s death.
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CON: You should not steal the drug because you’ll be
caught and sent to jail if you do. If you do get away, your
conscience would bother you thinking how the police
would catch you at any minute.
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 2
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STAGE 2: NAIVELY EGOISTIC ORIENTATION
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CORRECT ACTION TO TAKE IS ONE THAT
SERVES ONE’S NEEDS AND OCCASIONALLY
OTHERS’
SOME AWARENESS OF
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RELATIVITY OF VALUES
EACH PERSON’S NEEDS
OTHERS’ PERSPECTIVES
QUASI-EGALITARIANISM AND ORIENTATION
TO EXCHANGE AND RECIPROCITY
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 2
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TYPICAL STAGE 2 JUSTIFICATIONS, RELATING TO ACTION
MOTIVATED BY DESIRE FOR REWARD OR BENEFIT. POSSIBLE
GUILT REACTIONS ARE IGNORED AND PUNISHMENT IS
VIEWED IN A PRAGMATIC MANNER. DIFFERENTIATES OWN
FEAR, PLEASURE, OR PAIN FROM PUNISHMENTCONSEQUENCES
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PRO: If you do happen to get caught you could give the drug back
and you wouldn’t get much of a sentence. It wouldn’t bother you
much to serve a little jail term if you have your wife when you get
out.
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CON: He may not get much of a jail term if steals the drug, but his
wife will probably die before he gets out so it won’t do him much
good. If his wife dies, he shouldn’t blame himself. It wasn’t his fault
that she has cancer.
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 3
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LEVEL 2
MORAL VALUES RESIDING IN
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PERFORMANCE OF GOOD AND RIGHT ROLES
MAINTAINING THE CONVENTIONAL ORDER
MAINTAINING EXPECTANCIES OF OTHERS
STAGE 3: GOOD BOY ORIENTATION
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ORIENTATION TO APPROVAL AND PLEASING AND
HELPING OTHERS
CONFORMITY TO STEREOTYPICAL IMAGES OF
THE MAJORITY
JUDGMENTS MADE ACCORDING TO INTENTIONS
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 3
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TYPICAL JUSTIFICATION OF STAGE 3
INDIVIDUALS WHERE ACTION IS
MOTIVATED BY DISAPPROVAL OF
OTHERS, ACTUAL OR HYPOTHETICAL
(GUILT)
THERE IS A DIFFERENTIATION OF
DISAPPROVAL FROM PUNISHMENT,
FEAR, OR PAIN
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 3
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PRO: Nobody will think you’re bad if you steal
the drug but your family will think you’re an
inhuman husband if you don’t. If you let your
wife die, you’ll never be able to look anybody in
the face again.
CON: It isn’t just the druggist who will think you
are a criminal, everyone else will, too. After you
steal it, you’ll feel bad thinking about how
you’ve brought dishonor on your family and
yourself. You won’t be able to face anyone
again.
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 4
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STAGE 4: AUTHORITY AND SOCIAL ORDER
MAINTAINING ORIENTATION
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ORIENTATION TO DOING ONE’S DUTY AND TO
SHOW RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY
MAINTAINING THE SOCIAL ORDER FOR ITS OWN
SAKE
REGARD FOR EARNED EXPECTATIONS OF
OTHERS
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 4
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TYPICAL JUSTIFICATIONS FOR STAGE 4,
WHERE ACTION IS MOTIVATED BY
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ANTICIPATION OF DISHONOR
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INSTITUTIONAL BLAME FOR FAILURE OF DUTY
GUILT OVER CONCRETE HARM DONE TO
OTHERS
DIFFERENTIATES FORMAL DISHONOR FROM
INFORMAL DISAPPROVAL
DIFFERENTIATES GUILT FOR BAD CONSEQUENCES
FROM DISAPPROVAL
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 4
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PRO: If you have any sense of honor, you won’t
let your wife die because you’re afraid to do the
only thing that will save her. You’ll always feel
guilty that you caused her death if you don’t do
your duty to her.
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CON: You’re desperate and you may not know
you’re doing wrong when you steal the drug. But
you’ll know you did wrong after you’re punished
and sent to jail. You’ll always feel guilty for your
dishonesty and lawbreaking
LEVEL 3
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LEVEL 3 HAS MORAL VALUES
RESIDING IN CONFORMITY BY THE
SELF TO SHARED OR SHAREABLE
STANDARDS, RIGHTS, OR DUTIES
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 5
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STAGE 5: CONTRACTUAL, LEGALISTIC
ORIENTATION
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RECOGNITION OF ARBITRARY ELEMENT OR
STARTING POINT IN RULES OR EXPECTATIONS
FOR THE SAKE OF AGREEMENT
DUTY DEFINED IN TERMS OF CONTRACT
GENERAL AVOIDANCE OF THE WILL OR RIGHTS
OF OTHERS
MAJORITY WILL AND WELFARE IS AIMED
TOWARDS
STAGE 5 JUSTIFICATIONS
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PRO: The law wasn’t set up for these
circumstances. Taking the drug in this situation
isn’t really right, but it’s justified to do it.
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CON: You can’t completely blame someone for
stealing but extreme circumstances don’t really
justify taking the law in your own hands. You
can’t have everyone stealing whenever they get
desperate. The end may be good, but the ends
don’t justify the means.
LEVELS AND STAGES OF
MORAL REASONING: STAGE 6
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CONSCIENCE OR PRINCIPLE ORIENTATION
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ORIENTATION NOT ONLY TO ACTUAL SOCIAL RULES
BUT TO PRINCIPLES OF CHOICE INVOLVING APPEAL TO
LOGICAL UNIVERSALITY AND CONSISTENCY
ORIENTATION TO CONSCIENCE AS A DIRECTING AGENT
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DIRECTING AGENT
MUTUAL RESPECT AND TRUST
STAGE 6 JUSTIFICATIONS
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PRO: This is a situation which forces him to
choose between stealing and letting his wife die.
In a situation where the choice must be made, it
is morally right to steal. He has to act in terms if
the principle of preserving and respecting life.
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CON: Heinz is faced with the decision of
whether to consider the other people who need
the drug just as badly as his wife. Heinz ought to
act not according to his particular feelings
toward his wife, but considering the value of all
the loves involved.
PROGRESSION BETWEEN
LEVELS
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LEVEL 1 PEOPLE ATTEND TO THEMSELVES
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LEVEL 2 PEOPLE ATTEND TO OTHERS AND
WHAT OTHERS THINK OF THEM
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LEVEL 3 PEOPLE ATTEND TO SOCIETY’S
STANDARDS AND THEIR RELATIONS TO
THEM AND TO THEIR OWN PRINCIPLES
MECHANISMS OF
DEVELOPMENT
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WHAT DOES KOHLBERG, A
STRUCTURALIST, CLAIM ABOUT THE
MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT?
MECHANISMS OF
DEVELOPMENT
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DISEQULIBRIUM
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ADAPTATIONAL
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ORGANIZATIONAL
RELATIONS BETWEEN PIAGET
AND KOHLBERG
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PIAGET POSITS COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENTAL STRUCTURES
ABOUT LOGICO-MATHEMATICAL AND
PHYSICAL DOMAINS
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KOHLBERG POSITS COGNITIVE
STRUCTURES ABOUT MORAL
REASONING
RELATIONS BETWEEN PIAGET
AND KOHLBERG
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THE DOMAINS OF LOGICOMATHMATICAL AND PHYSICAL
REASONING DEAL WITH THE WORLD
OF THE MIND AND OBJECTS
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THE DOMAIN OF MORAL REASONING
DEALS WITH INTERPERSONAL
RELATIONS
RELATIONS BETWEEN PIAGET
AND KOHLBERG
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KOHLBERG BELIEVED THAT AN IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT THAT
ALSO SEPARATES IT FROM THE PHYSICAL
AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES IS:

EMPATHY AND INDENTIFICATION
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THE ABILITY TO TAKE ANOTHER’S POINT OF
VIEW AND TO FEEL AS IF YOU WERE THAT
PERSON
RELATIONS BETWEEN PIAGET
AND KOHLBERG
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Langer, Kuhn, and Hahn (1969)
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TESTED CHILDREN AT DIFFERENT
AGES
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PIAGETIAN TASKS
KOHLBERG TASKS
RELATIONS BETWEEN PIAGET
AND KOHLBERG
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FOUND THAT PIAGETIAN STAGES ARE A
NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT
CONDITION FOR KOHLBERG’S STAGES
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EXAMPLE:

A STAGE 5 PERSON IN KOHLBERG’S SYSTEM
“MUST BE” IN PIAGET’S FORMAL OPERATIONS
STAGE BUT
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A FORMAL OPERATIONS STAGE PERSON COULD
BE IN ANY OF KOHLBERG’S STAGES
TURIEL
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THOUGHT THAT KOHLBERG MERGED
THE MORAL DOMAIN AND SOCIAL
CONVENTIONS
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TURIEL IS A STRUCTURALIST WHO
WORKED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
TURIEL
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THREE KINDS OF SOCIAL ACTION
(MAX WEBER)
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CUSTOM
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A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR
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EATING BREAKFAST FOOD IN THE MORNING
TURIEL
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CONVENTION
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A PART OF CUSTOM THAT IS CONSIDERED
BINDING
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REGULATED BY SANCTIONS OF DISAPPROVAL
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MODES OF DRESS
FORMS OF GREETING
TURIEL
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ETHICAL
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VALIDLY ESTABLISHED SYSTEM