Lawrence Kohlberg

Lawrence Kohlberg was an American psychologist known for his stage theory of moral development. He proposed that moral reasoning evolves through six distinct stages grouped into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. His work was heavily influenced by the earlier cognitive development theories of Jean Piaget.

Kohlberg measured moral development using a series of moral dilemmas presented to his subjects. The most famous of these is the Heinz dilemma, which asks whether it is morally acceptable to steal an unaffordable drug to save a dying spouse. He evaluated the reasoning behind the answers rather than the yes/no verdict itself.

The postconventional level is the highest stage of moral development in Kohlberg's framework. At this level, individuals make moral decisions based on universal ethical principles and internalized values, even if they conflict with laws or societal rules. Kohlberg believed that many people never actually reach this final level of reasoning.

Yes, Kohlberg's theory was heavily criticized by psychologists like Carol Gilligan. Gilligan argued that his theory exhibited a male bias by focusing heavily on justice and rules, potentially ignoring an ethic of care. This critique sparked further research into gender differences in moral reasoning.