Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Levels of Moral Development
Level I (one): I Don’t Want to Get in Trouble
I follow the rules because I don’t want to get in trouble or have anything unpleasant happen to me. However, if someone isn’t watching and I think I can get away with bad behavior, I will behave badly. For example: I will sing while the teacher is watching, because I know one of the rules says I have to. But I will
stop singing when the teacher isn’t watching. Life is about getting what I like, and avoiding what I don’t like, as much as possible.
Level II (two): I Want a Reward
I do all the right things so I can earn some kind of reward. It might be candy and a sticker, a pizza party, extra recess time, or whatever. However, if no one is
watching, I might behave badly. I might say something like, “Can I have a piece of candy, since I helped pick up?” Life is about getting what I like, and avoiding what I don’t like, as much as possible.
Level III (three): I Want to Please Somebody
I really like a particular person. It might be a grownup, or another child. I want this other person to like me, so I do things that will earn praise. I work hard to earn this admired person’s special smile or kind word, or any kind of attention at all. It might be good things that I do (to please a good parent or good teacher, or a well-behaved friend), or bad things (to please a bad parent or a bad teacher, or a badly-behaved friend). I don’t especially care if my actions are good or bad, as long as it earns attention from the person I admire --- my hero. I will make sure my hero either sees what I did, or hears about it. Life is about getting attention from someone whose opinion matters to me.
Level IV (four): I Follow the Rules.
I follow the rules of a classroom whether anyone is watching or not. I do not question the rules, even if they are bad rules. I don’t follow the rules to earn rewards or avoid punishment, or to get praise from someone. I believe rules are good, so I follow the rules. For example: In the USA, I am a very careful and excellent driver, because there are good rules about driving that I follow. I always keep both hands on the steering wheel; I never speed; I always watch where I’m going; I always stop at stop signs. But what if the rules said to pass cars on corners? I would follow this rule too. Why? Because the rules said so. So you see, the rules might be good or bad, but that doesn’t matter to me. If they are the rules, I will follow them. Life is about meeting up to an external set of standards.
Level V (five): I Am Considerate of Other People.
I make decisions about how to behave based on how it will affect other people. Other people’s needs, hopes, and fears are always on my mind. I spend my entire day making choices about my behavior so that other people can be safe, happy, and get the things they need out of life. An example: I keep my voice low in the hallway. It’s not because being noisy will get me in trouble, and it’s not because the rules tell me to be quiet. It’s not because I want the teacher to praise me for being considerate. I keep my voice low because I am thinking about how the students in other classrooms feel. I am thinking about how hard it is for them to concentrate when noisy conversation is happening in the hallway. I am thinking about how they are trying to do their best, and thinking about how quietness in the hallway will help them. Life is about being considerate to those around me, whether I like them or not.
Level VI (six): I Have a Personal Code of Behavior and I Follow It
I make decisions based entirely upon what I think is the right thing to do. I don’t do these things to avoid punishment, or to get reward, or to follow rules written somewhere on a teacher’s wall. I do what is right just because it is right, even if it causes hard times for me. It doesn’t matter if anyone ever finds out about good things I have done. I am not doing it for praise. I don’t boast about my good deeds; I am humble enough that I am happy to have my good deeds go
unnoticed. It is enough for me in my secret, huge heart that I am living up to my own personal code. Life is about living up to the standard I have set for myself---not the standard another human being has set for me.