Analysis Of Lawrence Koolhberg's Theory Of Development

For the childhood and elder age group, there are several stage theories that describe what life is generally like at these time periods. Two famous psychologists that contributed to theories about aging stages were Lawrence Kolhberg and Erik Erikson. Kohlberg was responsible for the development “ladder” of moral thinking throughout the ages (Myers 168). Children were expected to have a preconventional morality, meaning that they have a morality based on self-interest. Elders were expected to have a postconventional morality, which would mean having consideration for ethics and using reasoning and logic.
Kohlberg’s theory was often criticized for being culturally biased towards individualistic cultures because the third and highest level of morality pertained most to middle-class Americans (168). Erikson’s theory of stage development revolved around accomplishing certain psychological goals to develop onto the next stage of life. Whichever goal was completed, would determine if a person could move on happily or have problems along the way (Myers 170).
The stages could end up with two possible

Some of the development of the individual child is predetermined by what kind of genes they come into the world with. It will determine their temperament, some of their personality, their physical features, and much of their abilities to accomplish the stable or instable conditions presented by Erikson. Due to the environment the child is raised in, certain genes can be turned on and off, and this could make a child either more or less likely to live a good life according to the Erikson stages development theory. Genetics and biology could also account for the development of morality because the capability to be moral sometimes depends on the psychological state of the individual. Cognitive impairments can sometimes affect the development of