Moral Development
Moral development consists of 3 components: moral reasoning, moral development, and moral emotions. Moral reasoning is what we consider right and wrong and why. Moral behavior is our actions following us facing a moral dilemma. Moral emotions are the feelings that we get after our behavior following a moral dilemma. In this section, we will focus on moral reasoning and Kohlberg's theory of moral development.
Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg was an American psychologist who expanded Piaget's theory of moral reasoning. Unlike Piaget, Kohlberg focused on moral development throughout the entire lifespan. Kohlberg's theory includes 3 levels and 6 stages (2 stages per level). Level 1 is pre conventional, level 2 is conventional, and level 3 is post conventional. The stages must be followed sequentially and you cannot skip any stage. Each stage has social and cognitive prerequisites. Kohlberg's theory suggests that an individuals moral standpoint stems from their environment and the opinions of others until a certain point.
Level 1: Pre-conventional
Stage 1 of level one is called "Punishment Obedience". In this stage, an individual's morality depends on fear of punishment from authority figures. They might reason by saying "I shouldn't do this because my mom will be upset with me." Individuals in this age also believe that their behavior is only as bad as their punishment. For example, if I break a glass and get grounded for 6 months, breaking that glass must be really bad. On the other hand, if I break a glass and only get a stern talking to, breaking the glass couldn't have been that bad. Stage 2 of level one is called "Instrumental Purpose and Exchange". In this stage, an individual is not egocentric but does not easily cooperate with the feelings of others. The individuals morals depend on what the individual gets out of the situation. The individual may ration with the thought "well if I do ..., I get ...in return". An example of this could be a person debating on picking up a 20 dollar bill that they just watched someone drop. The person could decide to do and their reasoning would be that they'll be $20 richer
Level 2: Conventional
Stage 3 is the first stage of level 2. This stage is called "Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships and Conformity". This stage centers on societal expectations of individuals relative to a specific role. Basically, what does society expect a mother, woman, sister, friend, brother, etc. to do? A husband in this stage could be faced with temptation to cheat on his wife. He may say to himself "A good husband would stay faithful and loyal to his family", or he may justify cheating by saying "I'm just doing what any other man in my shoes would do." Stage 4, the second stage of level 2, is called "Social System and Conscience Maintenance" An individuals morals in this stage depend on societal laws. The individual might reason with themselves saying " I can't do this because it is against the law, I will be imprisoned because the law keeps society from falling apart." This individual focuses on keeping society in check by upholding laws.
Level 3: Post-conventional
Stage 5, the first stage of the third level, is called "Social Contract." An individual in this stage respects the laws of society but is also capable of deciphering when they are unjust and need changing/challenging because they no longer align with the values of society. The individual believes that laws should be followed until they shouldn't anymore. Stage 6, the final stage is called "Universal Ethical Principles." Individuals in this stage take all factors into account and not just those of the society in which they are a member of. An individual in this stage considers what is best universally rather than just in their society. Instead of saying "What is best for the people of my country?", they would say "What is best for everyone on Earth?"
Kohlberg's stages of moral development shown through Harry Potter
Self Connection
I am in the "Post-conventional" level and "Social Contract" stage of Kohlberg's theory. I believe in following societal laws but I also believe in getting rid of things that no longer serve a positive purpose or fit the context. If I am aware of a law, but I am also aware that if the law is doing more hurt than harm, I would probably have a very hard time not challenging it. I wouldn't consider myself a part of the "Universal Ethical Principles" stage because while I do consider "everyone" in my moral decision making process, "everyone" to me are those who are near or within the same society as me.
Application to Nursing
As someone who will be in charge of the health and wellbeing of others, it is important that my moral development is far enough along to align with those that are essential to nursing.