Good Boy-Nice Girl Orientation

Good Boy-Nice Girl Orientation

Moral development consists of the way an individual’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions are formed. This development plays an important role in what the individual views as being “right” and “wrong”. Many cognitive theorist and psychologist have studied moral development and have respective theories. One of the widely known theorist moral development is Lawrence Kohlberg.

Lawrence Kohlberg was a professor at Harvard University. He became famous for his work there in the 1970’s. (Barger, 2000) Kohlberg started at Harvard University as a developmental psychologist, then later became interested in moral education. Kohlberg used the thinking of Jean Piaget and John Dewey, two famous psychologists. He was also inspired by psychologist James Mark Baldwin. (Barger, 2000) Lawrence Kohlberg decided to take the thinking of Jean Piaget a little further. He used Piaget’s story telling method as mode for his research. (McLeod, 2011) After telling the story to individuals in different age groups Kohlberg would ask a series of questions to evaluate the individual’s level of moral standards and reasoning. (McLeod, 2011)

Kohlberg’s story was about a man named Heinz. (McLeod, 2011) Heinz’s wife was dying from a form of cancer. The doctors caring for Heinz wife couldn’t save her. One doctor told Heinz about a new medicine that could potentially save his wife’s life. Heinz went to the chemist and asked for the medicine. The chemist charged way more than Heinz could afford. Heinz came up with half of the money and asked the chemist for a cheaper rate or possibility of paying the chemist later. (McLeod, 2011) The chemist still refused, claiming that he could get lots of money for the medicine from others. Later that nig...

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...f Development. Retrieved from faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm

McLeod, S. (2011). Simply Psychology - Kohlberg. Retrieved, from www.simplypsychology.org

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P. A., & Hall, A. M. (2013). Developmental Theories. In Foundations of Nursing (8th ed. (pp. 130-139). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.

Works Cited

Barger, Ph.D., R. N. (2000). A Summary of Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development. . Retrieved from www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/kohlberg01.htm

Crain, W. C. (1985). Theories of Development. Retrieved from faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm

McLeod, S. (2011). Simply Psychology - Kohlberg. Retrieved, from www.simplypsychology.org

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P. A., & Hall, A. M. (2013). Developmental Theories. In Foundations of Nursing (8th ed. (pp. 130-139). St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.