Assignment: Cognitive Aspects of Criminal Behavior

READING MATERIAL FROM THE PROFESSOR Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development

Lawrence Kohlberg expanded on the earlier work of cognitive theorist Jean Piaget to explain the moral development of children, which he believed follows a series of stages.

Kohlberg defined three levels of moral development: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. Each level has two distinct stages.

During the preconventional level, a child’s sense of morality is externally controlled. Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers, and they judge an action based on its consequences.

During the conventional level, an individual’s sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships. Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is now because they believe that this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and societal order.

During the postconventional level, a person’s sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values. People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be changed or eliminated.

Kohlberg’s theory has been criticized for its cultural and gendered bias toward white, upper-class men and boys. It also fails to account for inconsistencies within moral judgments.

What is Cognitive theory?

In our desperation to understand why and how people commit crimes, psychologists and sociologists often study, analyze, and develop explanations of why these behaviors exist. Cognitive theory is one of many psychological theories of criminal behavior. Cognitive theories of crime explain criminal behavior as a defect in moral thinking, thought processes, and mental development. Cognitive theories also help us to understand how an individual's personality and intelligence level are linked to delinquency. Cognitive theories focus on how we perceive the world around us, how we think, and the factors that influence our mental development (family upbringing, parental modeling, personality, intelligence). These theories help to explain how we develop morally in our thought process.

Example:

A young male child who was raised in a home where his mother was verbally and physically abused by his father is more likely to have a skewed idea of what a healthy relationship is-He's more likely to be an abusive partner himself. His perception of women and relationships are most likely skewed: negatively impacted and shaped by his upbringing and the poor parental modeling he received from the male figure within the household. Of course, the young boy could also grow up and develop to be the complete opposite of his father within his personal relationships as well: nothing is 100%.