Fact Sheet: Moral Development in Children
Parents may wonder when children begin to learn right from wrong. Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg are two psychologists well-known for their work studying morality in children. Kohlberg expanded upon the work of Piaget and provided a foundation for the current psychology debate regarding morality. Egocentrism, or being limited to one's own concerns, wants and needs, is one of the things that has to be overcome in order to achieve moral development in children.
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Piaget's Study Method
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Piaget saw morality in two broad, overlapping stages. Through studying children between the ages of five and thirteen, Piaget asked the children about different moral dilemmas and the rules to a game of marbles. He asked the children to define which person in a scenario should be more harshly punished, and which was "naughtier."
Heteronomous Morality
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Piaget found that cognitive development played a large role in the current stage of a child's moral development. Children do not realize that people have differing views. A child believes that their views are the same as everyone else's, and that rules are reality and unable to be negotiated.
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The Autonomous Phase
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As egocentrism declines during cognitive development, children begin to take both intentions and actions into consideration. The belief in imminent justice subsides, and breaking rules can be identified as permissible in some circumstances.
Kohlberg's Stages
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Kohlberg identified six stages of moral development in three groups of stages. In the preconventional level, moral judgments are seen from an individual perspective. Stage 1 demonstrates the avoidance of rule breaking that results in punishment for selfish reasons, such as avoiding physical discipline. During stage 2, one follows rules when it is best suited to their interests to achieve a desired outcome.
Conventional Levels
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In the conventional stage, the ability to discern the necessity for rules to maintain societal structure begins. In stage 3, the ability to understand the expectations and feelings of others allows for less selfish actions, and the taking of actions beneficial to others. During stage 4, laws are seen not just as necessary norms within the local society, but in society as a whole. This allows for the concept of social responsibility.
Post-Conventional Level
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Kohlberg's last level deomonstrates the development of ethics, and the understanding of "fairness" versus the obedience of rules just because society dictates them. Children in this level have a regard for human welfare and life.
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References
- Photo Credit child image by saied shahinkiya from Fotolia.com
