Kohlberg’s six-stage theory was considered radical, because it stated that morality is not imposed on children (as psychoanalysts said), nor is it about avoiding bad feelings (as the behaviorists had thought). We may even resort to civil disobedience in the name of universal principles, such as justice. The sixth and final stage (the stage of universal ethical principles) is when our own conscience becomes the ultimate judge, and we commit ourselves to equal rights and respect for all. We come to realize that human life is more sacred than just following rules. In its first stage (the social contract and individual rights stage), we still respect authority, but there is a growing recognition that individual rights can supersede laws that are destructive or restrictive. The third level of moral development is when we move beyond simple conformity, but Kohlberg suggested that only around 10–15 percent of us ever reach this level. In the second stage (the law and order stage), we start to equate “being good” with respecting authority and obeying the law, believing that this protects and sustains society.
Its first stage, often called the “good boy-nice girl” stage, is when we begin classifying moral behavior as to whether it will help or please. It sees us starting to consider the intention behind behavior, rather than just the consequences. The second level of moral reasoning starts in adolescence, and continues into early adulthood. The desires and needs of others are important, but only in a reciprocal sense-“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” Morality at this level is governed by consequence. In the second stage (the stage of individualism and exchange), right and wrong are determined by what brings rewards. In the first of its two stages (the stage of obedience and punishment), we determine whether actions are right or wrong by whether or not they lead to a punishment.
“The preconventional level of moral reasoning, which develops during our first nine years of life, considers rules as fixed and absolute.
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