Kohlberg's Moral Dilemma Experiment

 

Kohlberg's Moral Dilemma Experiment
The Heinz Dilemma
Three Levels and Six Stages of Moral Development
Level 1: Pre-Conventional Morality (Typically Children)
Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment Orientation

• Rules are followed to avoid punishment.

• Actions are judged by their consequences.

"I won't steal because I might be punished."
Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange

• Focus on personal benefit and rewards.

• "What's in it for me?"

"I'll help you if you help me."
Level 2: Conventional Morality (Adolescents and Many Adults)
Stage 3: Good Boy–Good Girl Orientation

• Desire to gain approval from others.

• Being seen as a "good person."

"I help others because people will appreciate me."
Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation

• Respect for laws and authority.

• Maintaining social order.

"Stealing is wrong because it breaks the law."
Level 3: Post-Conventional Morality (Some Adults)
Stage 5: Social Contract Orientation

• Laws are important but can be changed if they are unfair.

• Focus on individual rights and social welfare.

"Heinz may steal the drug because saving a life is more important than property."
Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principles

• Decisions are guided by universal moral principles such as justice, equality, and human dignity.

• Personal conscience may override laws.

"Saving a human life is the highest moral duty."
Summary Chart

Level	Stage	Main Idea
Pre-Conventional	Stage 1	Avoid punishment
Pre-Conventional	Stage 2	Gain rewards
Conventional	Stage 3	Seek approval
Conventional	Stage 4	Follow laws
Post-Conventional	Stage 5	Protect rights
Post-Conventional	Stage 6	Follow ethical principles

Educational Implications

1. Encourage discussions on moral issues.

1. Use stories and case studies involving ethical dilemmas.

1. Promote empathy and perspective-taking.

1. Create democratic classroom environments.

1. Help students justify their decisions logically.

Contributions

• Provided a systematic explanation of moral reasoning.

• Influenced education, psychology, and ethics.

• Encouraged the use of moral dilemmas in teaching.

Criticisms

1. Moral reasoning does not always predict behavior.

1. Cultural differences may affect moral judgments.

1. Some researchers argue that the theory emphasizes justice more than care and relationships.

1. Not everyone reaches the highest stages.

Kohlberg vs. Piaget

Piaget	Kohlberg
Cognitive development	Moral development
Four stages	Six stages
Focus on thinking	Focus on moral reasoning
Development of intelligence	Development of ethical judgment

Important OTET MCQs
Ans: Lawrence Kohlberg
Ans: Lawrence Kohlberg
Ans: Law and Order Orientation.
Lawrence Kohlberg
Career and Background
Theory of Moral Development
Influence and Legacy
Criticism and Continuing Relevance
Major Contributions
x

Kohlberg presented participants with moral dilemmas and asked them what a person should do and why.

A woman is dying from cancer. A pharmacist has developed a drug that may save her life, but he charges much more than it costs to make. Her husband, Heinz, cannot afford the price.

Question: Should Heinz steal the drug?

Kohlberg was interested not in whether participants answered "yes" or "no," but in the reasoning they used.

Morality is based on personal consequences.

Example:

Example:

Morality is based on social approval and maintaining order.

Example:

Example:

Morality is based on principles and values.

Example:

Example:

Teachers can:

Q. Who proposed the Theory of Moral Development?

Q. The Heinz Dilemma is associated with whom?

Q. Stage 4 of Kohlberg's theory emphasizes:

Lawrence Kohlberg was an American psychologist and educator best known for developing a theory of moral development that explains how people's reasoning about right and wrong evolves over time. His work became one of the most influential frameworks in developmental psychology and education, shaping research on ethics, citizenship, and moral reasoning throughout the late twentieth century. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Kohlberg was born in 1927 in Bronxville, New York, and earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago in 1958. Influenced by the work of Jean Piaget, he studied how children think about moral dilemmas and later taught at the University of Chicago and Harvard University, where he became a leading figure in developmental psychology. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Kohlberg proposed that moral reasoning develops through six stages grouped into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional morality. At lower stages, people focus on avoiding punishment or gaining rewards; at higher stages, they increasingly consider social rules, justice, rights, and universal ethical principles. He developed this model through interviews in which participants responded to hypothetical moral dilemmas, including the famous Heinz dilemma about stealing medicine to save a dying spouse. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Kohlberg's theory helped shift psychology away from purely behaviorist explanations by emphasizing how people reason about moral issues rather than simply how they behave. His ideas influenced educational programs, moral education curricula, professional ethics research, and studies of civic development. He also promoted the concept of “just communities,” schools organized around democratic participation and collective responsibility. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Although highly influential, Kohlberg's theory has faced criticism. Most notably, Carol Gilligan argued that the model emphasized justice-based reasoning while underrepresenting moral perspectives centered on care and relationships. Researchers have also debated whether the stages apply equally across cultures. Despite these critiques, Kohlberg's framework remains a foundational reference point in developmental psychology and moral education. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

• Six-stage theory of moral development

• Extensive research on children's and adolescents' moral reasoning

• Development of the Moral Judgment Interview methodology

• Advocacy for democratic “just community” schools

• Integration of psychology, philosophy, and education in the study of ethics (Encyclopedia Britannica)