Can we Predict Moral Behaviour? It is Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development which is most It is Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development which is most

This essay hasn't yet been marked by one of our teachers

You can view all our essays on Religion in Society that have been Marked by Teachers

The first 200 words of this essay...

Can we Predict Moral Behaviour?

It is Kohlberg's stage theory of moral development which is most

widely used and well known, yet it is not the content, or order of the

stages which causes controversy, it is whether or not stage theories

for moral development, in particular Kohlberg's can predict moral

behaviour. Kohlberg tested levels of morality by testing responses to

hypothetical moral dilemma based on ten moral principles; this is

following a semi-structured interview. Kohlberg has relied upon face

validity, longitudinal change and internal consistency as the main

ground for claiming the validity of his assessment procedures. The

problem with the dilemmas is that they were contrived, artificial and

out of the natural lives of the subjects Han (1978, as cited by

McNall). It had been found that compatibility between hypothetical and

real-life dilemmas to be inconsistent and the evidence sparse although

Damon (1977) found comparability.

It has caused fierce debate whether the reactions to questions in the

Kohlberg scale can be replicated in a real-world situation. It is also

debateable as to the extent of which development of morality is simply