Postconventional Moral Development

To begin, Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is separated into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. Preconventional is reasoning based on the self interest of individuals. For example, deciding not to cheat on a test because it might lead to you being suspended or removed from the campus. Conventional is reasoning based more on rules, ranging from laws to what is right and wrong based on what typically occurs. An example would be deciding not to commit murder because it is against the law. Lastly, postconventional is reasoning based on societal norms/standards. As an illustration, opting to stand up during the national anthem because you want to live in a society that is prideful of their nation would be an example of this level. These levels can be attached to the dilemma faced in the scene from “Saw.” In this scene there are two men placed in an unknown room chained. There is a loaded gun in the middle of the …show more content…
My moral development typically includes all of these levels because they overlap each other in a sense. However, in certain situations I go against my moral reasoning. For example, in high school I told myself I would not cheat because I could risk being caught, but I cheated anyway when faced with the pressure while taking the test. These are aspects I feel the theories fail to explain. These are essential aspects related to moral reasoning that are left unexplained in these theories.
In conclusion, Kohlberg's theories for moral development were revolutionary in the field of psychology. They can be used to examine the decisions of individuals faced with dilemmas, but they do not explain the whole story. There are aspects of moral development that are not explained in the