Page 100 - Communication and the Evolution of Society

77 Moral Development and Ego Identity

Schema 1a. Stages of Moral Consciousness
(according to Lawrence Kohlberg)

Obedience and Egocentric deference to superior power
punishment or prestige, or a trouble-avoiding set.
orientation Objective responsibility. I
Preconventional
level
Instrumental Right action is that instrumentally sat-
hedonism isfying the self’s needs and occastonal-
ly those of others. Naive egalitarian-
ism and orientation to exchange and
reciprocity.

Good-boy Orientation to approval and to pleasing
orientation and helping others. Conformity to ste-
reotypical images of majority or na-
tural role behavior. and judgment by
mtentions, I
Conventional
Law-and-order Orientation toward authority, fixed level
orientation rules, and the maintenance of the social
order. Right behavior consists of doing
one’s duty, showing respect for author-
ity, and maintaining the given social
order for its own sake.

Contractual- Right action is defined in terms of 1n-
legalistic dividual rights and of standards which
orientation have been initially examined and agreed
upon by the whole soctety. Concern
with establishing and maintaining in-
dividual rights, equality, and liberty.
Distinctions are made between values
having universal, prescriptive appli-
cability and values specific to a given
society. IT]
Universal- Right is defined by the decision of con- — Postconventional
self-chosen
with
ethical- science in accord universality, and level
ethical principles appealing to logical
principle

orientation
comprehensiveness,
consistency. These principles are ab-
stract; they are not concrete moral rules.
These are universal principles of jus-
tice, of the reciprocity and equality of
human rights, and of respect for the
dignity of human beings as individual
persons.

Source: Elliot Turiel, “Conflict and Transition in Adolescent Moral Develop-
ment,” Child Development 45 (1974)° 14-29.