James Bulger was a two year old boy, from Kirby, England, who was murdered by two ten year old boy’s names Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. Bulgers’ body was found on a railway line two days after his murder. Thompson and Venables were charged on the 20th of February 1993 with the abduction and murder of James Bulger. In this report it will review several psychological theories trying to explain how two boys so young could commit just vicious crimes. (Urbas, G., 2000)
Moral development is perceived in terms of transitioning through stages which may be linked to cognitive dissonance (Boom, 2011). Piaget (1932) created his theory by studying children and how they participated in playing games, a conclusion was developed that there were two stages …show more content…
At Stage one: Punishment and obedience, (Kohlberg, L 1981), it is clear Venables and Thompson were not at this stage as they chose to go against what they knew was wrong and attempted to cover it up (Hawkins, D. 1996). Stage two is known as the instrumental and exchange orientation but can otherwise be known as, Naïve Hedonism, (Kohlberg, L. 1981), Yet again Venables and Thompson would not be at this stage as they tried to cover it up and received no reward from anyone afterwards (Hawkins, D. 1996). The next level is called the Conventional level consisting of two more stages: stage three, Mutual interpretation expectations, relationships and interpersonal conformity: and stage four, Social system and conscience orientation. (Kohlberg, L. 1981), yet again Venables and Thompsons do not fit this stage due to their behaviour to the young boy would not maintain any good relationship. Stage four: Social system and conscience orientation, (Kohlberg, L. 1981). It is believed that Venables and Thompson were at this stage due to the fact they knew they went against the law and the knew what the consequences were for what they had done, but they both decided they wanted to do it so they did but afterwards that tried to cover it up (Hawkins, D. 1996). Finally the last level: Preconventional level consisting of the last two levels. Stage five, social-contract
Moral development is perceived in terms of transitioning through stages which may be linked to cognitive dissonance (Boom, 2011). Piaget (1932) created his theory by studying children and how they participated in playing games, a conclusion was developed that there were two stages …show more content…
At Stage one: Punishment and obedience, (Kohlberg, L 1981), it is clear Venables and Thompson were not at this stage as they chose to go against what they knew was wrong and attempted to cover it up (Hawkins, D. 1996). Stage two is known as the instrumental and exchange orientation but can otherwise be known as, Naïve Hedonism, (Kohlberg, L. 1981), Yet again Venables and Thompson would not be at this stage as they tried to cover it up and received no reward from anyone afterwards (Hawkins, D. 1996). The next level is called the Conventional level consisting of two more stages: stage three, Mutual interpretation expectations, relationships and interpersonal conformity: and stage four, Social system and conscience orientation. (Kohlberg, L. 1981), yet again Venables and Thompsons do not fit this stage due to their behaviour to the young boy would not maintain any good relationship. Stage four: Social system and conscience orientation, (Kohlberg, L. 1981). It is believed that Venables and Thompson were at this stage due to the fact they knew they went against the law and the knew what the consequences were for what they had done, but they both decided they wanted to do it so they did but afterwards that tried to cover it up (Hawkins, D. 1996). Finally the last level: Preconventional level consisting of the last two levels. Stage five, social-contract