A preconventional thinker, a conventional thinker, and a postconventional thinke
ID: 3485635 • Letter: A
Question
A preconventional thinker, a conventional thinker, and a postconventional thinker all face a moral dilemma the night before the final examination: A friend has offered them a key to the examination. Should they take it and use it or not? Provide examples of the reasoning you might expect at each of the three main levels of moral development--one argument in favor of cheating and one against it at each level. Are any of these arguments especially difficult to make? Why? [Note: you are being asked only to discuss the 3 main levels, not all 6 stages.]Explanation / Answer
According to Kohlberg, moral development takes place in various stages. He proposed the idea that moral reasoning which is the basis for ethical behavior, proceeds in six stages, which are developmental in nature. Kohlberg said that each stage of moral reasoning acts as a precursor to the following stages and with each passing stage the individual becomes more adept at responding to moral dilemmas.
The six stages of moral development are grouped into three levels: pre-conventional morality, conventional morality, and post-conventional morality. He further said that stages cannot be skipped and each stage provides a new perspective to the handling of dilemma.
Pre-conventional morality is obedience and punishment driven and is more common in children. Individuals at this level judge the morality of an action by its direct consequences.
Conventional morality is generally common for adolescents and adults. They reason in a conventional way to critic the morality of actions by comparing them to society's views and expectations, in general, norms.
Post-conventional morality encompasses the thinking that individuals are different from the society. This is also known as the principled level, where individuals get the realization that they are different form societies. They have their own individuality and hence, may have their own principles which allow them to disobey rules, of society, at times. Individuals in this stage of morality live by their own ethical principles.
The example in the question talks about taking the key to the examination. An individual who would be in the stage of pre-conventional morality will refrain from indulging in such kind of immoral behavior because he/she may think of the punishment which may ensue after being caught. In other words, the individual may be afraid of the physical consequences of immoral behavior.
An individual who would be in the second stage of conventional morality will not engage in such a behavior because the person may think that society does not allow and accept immoral behavior. So instead of focusing on the physical consequences, such an individual will look for reasons based on the moral standards of society and hence, will not take the key.
An individual who will be in post-conventional morality, ahs imbibed the rules and regulations of the society and has formed his/her own concepts of immoral behavior. Therefore, a person in this stage will not engage in such behavior as it does not correspond to the way he/she thinks. Because of the incongruence between the morality/ethical concerns and the behavior, the post-conventional thinker will not take the key.
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