Comparing Piaget And Kohlberg's Stages Of Moral Development

This paper evaluates how David Pelzer develops in his memoir, A Child Called “It”. Pelzer is evaluated using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model demonstrates how Pelzer’s environment impacted his development greatly. Pelzer is greatly influenced through others by how they treat him. Throughout this memoir, Pelzer is in the concrete operations stage of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. The reader is also able to see Pelzer’s development from preconventional morality to conventional morality using Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning.

The theory holds that moral reasoning, the basis for ethical behavior, has six identifiable developmental stages, each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its predecessor.Kohlberg followed the development of moral judgment far beyond the ages studied earlier by Piaget,who also claimed that logic and morality develop through constructive stages.Expanding on Piaget's work, Kohlberg determined that the process of moral development was principally concerned with justice, and

Some of these individuals include Jean Piaget and later Lawrence Kohlberg who came along and extended the aforementioned theorist bodies of work (Hayes, 1994). To understand the foundation of Kohlberg’s work, an adequate understanding of Piaget’s theories of moral development must exist first. After extensive research surrounding the question regarding the correspondence of thoughts and actions, Piaget developed a theory that morality in children followed social interaction and learning (Bergman, 2002). Essentially, children develop moral thinking after exercising moral behaviors. In other words, the mind follows the body. Action will induce retrospective analysis and the foundation of new beliefs.

The Theory of Moral Development is a subject that derived from Jean Piaget's theory of moral reasoning and this theory was developed by psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg. This theory made us conscious that morality starts from the early childhood years and can possibly be affected by several factors such as society, but there are people in opposition to this theory. Kohlberg developed six stages of moral development and it is divided into three levels of development. The three levels of moral development are preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. As stated in Kohlberg's theory, “moral development proceeds in a linear process; it also proceeds steadily from one stage to the next in the order of moral development” (“Kohlberg's slide presentation”). Kohlberg uncovered four stages after Jean Piaget's because he had only discovered two. The stages that Kohlberg discovered after Jean flourish into adolescence and adulthood. He suggested that some people reach the postconventional level. (Oswalt).

This paper is written to examine various influences on the moral development of young children. Specifically, the paper will speak to the definition of moral development, the views held by educators Piaget and Kohlberg on this area of development in young children and the application of moral development theories by Early Childhood Educators. Theories posited by Sigmund Freud with regards to the psychological development of children in the early childhood arena will be discussed as well. Suggestions for parents on supporting the moral development of their children will also be addressed.

Kohlberg was not interested in the actual ethical decision the children were making, he was interested in the thought process being followed and reasoning developed. Kohlberg studied and built on Piaget’s theory of stages of cognition starting with egocentric preoperational thought. As intellectual maturation advances children shift from primarily pre-conventional to conventional, from worrying only considering their own view to including the views of their peers.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of moral development has served as basis of the investigation of many issues related to morality. Building on Piaget’s belief that the moral judgment of children derived from their cognitive development, Kohlberg attend to identify cognitive stages that underline the development of moral thinking.

Pg. #3 “… then it is important to evaluate the influences of children's’ development progression of moral thought and who affects how each children arrives to a moral decision” Should be how each child not children.

Kohlberg and Piaget both believe that moral development occurs through social interaction. When Kohlberg started his theory it developed from Piaget’s theory, but he used a more polished way to understand morality by breaking it down into several models. Kohlberg focused on positive and negative reactions to moral issues in children. In contrast to one another Piaget uses a two stage model, while Kohlberg uses a six-stage model. Piaget was the first to create the stages of child development however, many theorist came after and developed their own approach. Piaget created structured stages of development that ranged from infants to adolescents, Kohlberg also created structured stages of moral development but his didn’t focus on an specific age. In addition, Kohlberg focuses on development throughout a person’s life while Piaget stops his focus at the age of

Adolescence is the transition between childhood and adulthood (Berk, 2014, p. 361). During adolescence, children and teenagers begin to form their identity, establishing who they are based on their values and goals (Berk, 2014, p. 361). Adolescence typically begins with puberty and is followed by changes in motor and cognitive development (Berk, 2014, p. 362). During adolescence, teenagers often experience Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development, Erikson’s Theory of Development, and Kohlberg’s 3 Levels of Moral Development. These theories and ideas have helped form the basis of normal adolescent development. Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development describes how the use of more advanced and abstract thinking occurs in a sequence for all children,

An outstanding example of research in the Piagetian tradition is the work of Lawrence Kohlberg. Kohlberg has focused on the moral development and has proposed a stage theory of moral thinking which goes well beyond Piaget's initial formulations.

In that susceptible age, the parents’ morality cannot be questioned and become an issue. Theoretically, the ethical standing of child parents covers incredible range stretching all the way from perfect ‘bandits’ to the conditional ‘Christ Beings’. But, once a child reaches the level of sufficient maturity, which allows an outstanding degree of independence in intellectual life and ‘mental clarity’ pictures formation, then the long awaiting desire for contextual ‘self-posturing’ resurface. In allegedly ‘happy’ outcome, the child has a ‘coincidental nature’ of mental life and morality with parents, which cements the ties, irrespective of the fact that parents could be not trustworthy, but filthy abusers of the others and manipulators, basically fraudulent. Another option propagates discord, disharmony, and conflicts. (Quote from ‘LOGIC’, chapter

In conclusion this article basically breaks down some of the important aspect in moral development for child or adolescents. Such as the role models we have in our lives,moral virtues, sense of shame and residential care. All these play an important role in how to develop one's ethical behaviour. It also discusses the challenges that come with developing a child or adolescent morals, how it can be a turning point, where they can develop their mind and

This paper will examine that part of human growth and development which may observed in the early childhood period (preschool years), in particular that area of growth and development termed “morality”.

The second level of moral development is the conventional moral reasoning; “Beginning in middle school, up to middle age – most people end up here” (“Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development.”). At this level,