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Moral Development Theories
Hanna Perry
Liberty University School of Education
EDLC 504
Dr. Joan Cox
December 3, 2023
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest.
Correspondence regarding this paper can addressed to Hanna Perry at
MProckPerry@Liberty.Edu
Moral Development Theories
Introduction
Comprehending the myriad of moral developmental theories of child development is a
pivotal asset for educators and offers profound insights into the intricacies behind student’s
academic prowess or struggles with certain concepts, as well as their distinct learning modalities
and how they treat their peers or react to unfavorable scenarios. The understanding not only
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offers a glimpse between the complementary aspects of certain theories, but also accentuates
their diverging ideologies. A well rounded educator understands that the solid comprehension of
these theories help them effectively teach better. This paper will discuss the foundational moral
development theories of Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel and Albert Banduara’s
social learning theory while also aiming to conduct a comparative analysis between two of these
foundational frameworks.
Description of Moral Development Theories
Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget’s cognitive theory is one of the most renowned theories in educational
psychology. It is something that has influenced child development even today; however, he also
had a theory about children’s moral development and believed that cognitive and moral
development are seen as hand in hand. Piaget’s belief in moral development can be highlighted
in two distinct stages: Heteronomous Morality (or moral realism) and Autonomous Morality (or
moral relativism) (Moheghi et al., 2020, p. 367). In Heteronomous Morality, children (typically
those in early childhood) see rules as binding and unchanging. Rules are laid out by authoritative
figures and are meant to be followed. Judgements and actions are based on consequences rather
than the intent behind them. Punishment to children is seen as a means to enforce the rules. As
children grow into later childhood and adolescence, Autonomous Morality kicks in and children
start to develop a more sophisticated understanding of rules. Children start to see rules as more
flexible, and can be altered with mutual consent. Moral judgements in this stage are more based
on intent and the understanding of one’s circumstances/context of situations are crucial for
evaluating the morally correct decision. Children start to focus on fairness and reciprocity and
less on just the outcomes of situations. Piaget’s moral theory focuses on children’s shift from
rigid acceptance to principals and morals that are based on understanding/reciprocation. Piaget
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believed that this development coincides with a child’s cognitive development and that children
construct their understanding of morality based on experience and reasoning abilities while also
participating in social settings.
Lawrence Kohlberg
Kohlberg was heavily influenced by Piaget’s theory of moral development; Kohlberg
believed that there were three main levels with six additional sub-levels (two sub-levels in each
main level). The first level is the Preconventional Level, with stage one and two. Stage one is
known as the obedience and punishment orientation. At stage one, children focus on avoiding
punishment and only follow rules as a way to deter from punishment. Stage two is known as
individualism and exchange. During individualism and exchange, children act based upon self-
interest. Actions are based upon what benefit it may have to that child. The next level - known as
the Conventional level - encompasses stages three and four. Stage three is called interpersonal
relationships. Interpersonal relationships are when children start to consider society and look for
approval from others. Students fulfill societal obligations and maintain positive standings by
following the rules. Stage four is maintaining social order. At this point, moral reasoning is
centered on maintaining social order and abiding by the laws or rules of society. Children are
starting to understand that there is an importance of following society’s systems and institutions.
The last level is Postconventional or Principled Level. The last two sub-levels are five and six.
Stage five is social contract and individual rights. In this stage, moral decisions are based upon
children understanding social contracts and agreements. Children can now acknowledge that
there is a difference in diversity and opinions! The last sub-level is stage six and is called the
universal principles. Universal principles is when individuals are now able to follow self-chosen
moral principles. They typically operate with a deeply internalized set of universal moral and
ethical principles, prioritizing justice, equality, and human dignity (Wahidah & Maemonah,
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2020, p. 33). Kohlberg’s theory really emphasizes the progressive nature of human moral
development. Kohlberg’s theory suggests that individuals move through the hierarchy
sequentially with moral reasoning becoming more complex and sophisticated as individuals
mature. Lastly, Kohlbery believed that moral dilemmas stimulate development by prompting
individuals to reflect on their principal and values, thus ultimately shaping their moral decisions
and behaviors.
Elliott Turiel
Turiel’s moral theory shifts from Piaget and Kohlnerg’s by focusing on social reasoning
and distinguishes three different domains of social knowledge. These domains include moral,
societal and psychological domains (Caetano et al., 2019, p. 4). The first domain is the moral
domain. Turiel proposed that an individual develops a deep understanding of morality which is
separate from the other two domains. The moral concepts developed in this domain are fairness,
justice, honesty and rights. In this domain, actions are governed by moral principles. The second
domain is the societal domain. This domain includes conventional rules and the societal norms
that regulate everyday interactions and relationships. It is important to note that unlike the moral
domain, these rules and conventions can differentiate across countries, culture, and societies. The
last domain is the psychological domain. This domain deals with personal preference, choices
and emotions that do not have broader social or moral implications. Turiel believes that
individuals come to have an understanding of the domains through social interaction, peer
modeling and life experiences. Children can start to gradually differentiate between domains and
learn to distinguish moral rules from societal norms and personal preference. Children also start
to understand and develop empathy, fairness, and justice which helps guide them into making
moral decisions and builds their logical reasoning. Lastly, it is important to note that Turiel
believed that societal context and cultural influences helps children learn how to make morally
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sound decisions.
Albert Banduara
The last theory is Albert Bandaura’s theory of social learning. Bandura’s theory focuses
on how observation and modeling shape an individual’s behavior. Bandura believed that there
are four key points: observational learning, modeling, reciprocal determinism, and self
efficiency. (Akpan & Kennedy, 2020, p. 87-79). With observational learning, Bandura proposes
that individuals learn by observation. They will mimic others’ attitudes, behaviors, and actions.
This part of the theory requires attention, retention, productivity and motivation. The next stage
is modeling in which individuals are more likely to reproduce or repeat behaviors that are seen as
positive or rewarding. In this stage, Bandura also highlights the importance of role modeling and
how the impact of a role model’s behavior shapes an individual’s learning and subsequent
actions. Behaviors that are not rewarding or positive may be tossed to the side in favor of one
that provides more positive attention. The next stage is reciprocal determinism. This concept is
new and was introduced by Bandura. In this stage, Bandura suggests that behavior is influenced
by interaction between personal factors (thoughts, beliefs, or emotions), environmental factors
(social influences of cultural contexts) and then the individual’s behavior in and of itself. All
three of these factors interact and influence one another. The last stage of Bandura’s theory is self
efficiency. Bandura believed that it is important for individual’s to have a strong grasp on the
concept of self efficiency. Self efficiency refers to an individual’s belief that they can
successfully accomplish a new task or behavior. The higher an individual’s self efficiency is, the
more likely they are to persist and stay motivated to achieve tasks and goals! Bandura’s theory
focuses on the important role individuals play in their own learning process while also
emphasizing the influence social environments and factors have on behavior. It also underscores
the importance of the cognitive processes such as attention, memory, and motivation have on
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learning through observation and modeling.
Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg
The two theories this paper will conduct a similarities analysis on are Jean Piaget and
Lawrence Kohlberg. The first similarity in both Piaget and Kohlberg is that they both believe that
moral development is gained through distinct stages where an individual's moral reasoning
evolves from simply avoiding punishment towards a more evolved understanding based upon
fairness, justice, and ethical considerations. This conclusion was reached because in Piaget’s
theory, a child in a preoperational stage may base moral reasoning off of not being punished. An
example would be a child may not hit their friend in fear of being reprimanded or punished by an
authority figure. Similarly, in Kohlberg’s theory, an individual in a preconventional stage may
also show a concern on avoiding punishment. An example of Kohlberg’s theory is that an
individual may refrain from stealing so that they do not get caught and punished by the law.
The second similarity between these two theories is that they place emphasis on
developmental progression from a childish/self-centered perspective towards a great
consideration due to societal rules as individuals mature, showcasing the importance of
understanding and conforming to societal norms. In Piaget's theory, as individuals begin to
progress through various stages, they begin to understand social norms and expectations. For
example, a child may understand that rules are in place while playing a sport in a social setting to
keep the game safe and fair while in Kohlberg’s theory, individuals at a conventional level
emphasize expectations and maintaining a social order. An example of Kohlberg’s theory is an
individual volunteers their time at a community kitchen because they believe it is important to
contribute to the betterment of society or helping those less fortunate.
Jean Piaget and Albert Bandura
The two theories that will be focused on here are Jean Piaget and Albert Bandura’s. They
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are different in the idea that they differ in their foundational beliefs and approaches to explaining
moral development. Piaget emphasizes cognitive development and explains stages in which
individuals acquire moral reasoning. For example, a child in the preoperational stage may choose
not to take a toy from a sibling in fear of being reprimanded by a parent. Whereas in Bandura’s
theory, he highlights observational learning and modeling to acquire moral behavior. For
example, according to Bandura, a child might observe a parent sharing a toy with a sibling and
based upon the observation will model the sharing behavior and thus learn the morally correct
behavior of sharing.
The second example of differences between Piaget and Bandura’s theories related to
Piagt’s belief that individuals rotate through strict stages and thus learn morally correct behavior
where in contrast Bandura believed in peer/role modeling and observation without strict
developmental stages. Piaget offered the importance of cognitive development and distinct stages
of moral reasoning. For instance, a child in a concrete operational stage might show moral
reasoning due to understanding of societal expectations and norms. For example, a child may
choose not to cheat while playing a game in class because they understand rules help ensure
fairness. Bandura believed that observational learning and peer modeling is how individuals
acquire appropriate behaviors. For example, a child may see a parent comforting their upset
sibling and thus spur the child to imitate the behavior and try to comfort an upset friend. By
doing this, the child is displaying empathy, understanding and kindness based upon what they
witnessed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this paper delved into the diverse theories of moral development by Jean
Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel and Albert Banduara. A comprehensive examination
was conducted on the distinctions of each philosopher’s theory and presented. Furthermore, an
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References
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