MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 1
Moral Development: Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel, and Albert Bandura
Aaron D. Palmer
MAT, Liberty University
Authors Note
Aaron D. Palmer
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Aaron D. Palmer
Email: Apalmer71@liberty.edu
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 2
Abstract
To live in a moral and righteous world, it must be inhabited by moral and righteous people.
According to Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg; a person's morality, or lack thereof, comes in
part by education, but also by growth and interactions with people and rules. They would argue
that as a person’s intellect grows, so too does their capacity for morality and social
understanding. (Scott, 2021, 217-22) While Elliot Turiel and Albert Bandura would agree on the
idea of morality being something obtained through observation within a culture (Elliot Turiel,
n.d.) or from viewing others (Nucci & Turiel, 1978, 402). A thorough examination of these four
schools of thought is necessary to better understand the best way a teacher may fulfill their
professional and moral obligations. Though these men would most likely agree on many of the
larger issues revolving around morality and growth, their stark differences allow for the
academic that is studying them to find objective truth. Turiel sees morality and growth as a
product of someone's social status (Elliot Turiel, n.d.) while Bandura says that observation
through any medium leads to learning and a transition of skills, morality, and virtues. (Nucci &
Turiel, 1978, 401)
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 3
Moral Development: Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, Elliot Turiel, and Albert Bandura
Jean Piaget believed that before the age of five a person had no understanding of the
abstract of morality, therefore, they did not have any grasp of it. He said that around that age
rules that other people have set into place, such as bed time and no tv during dinner, define what
morality is. (Scott, 2021, 217) To children who are so young, rules are seen as concrete concepts.
You always take a nap during the day and you never, ever go into Dad’s study when he is not
there. Morality, in Piaget’s mind, came as a direct influence of the rules a person was raised by,
and therefore, was dedicated by the people making the rules. Praising a child for following rules,
will lead to that child mimicking those actions, while avoidance of negative reinforcements like
punishment would ensure the child never broke the rules. He believed that as a person ages and
enters new chapters of their life that they begin to see the intentions of actions as highly
important to the decision to go through with said action. They, as they grow, will begin to
understand that good intentions can lead to poor results. Even the concrete ideals surrounding
rules soften, as people finally enter the stage in which they can begin to bend, mend, or change
rules depending on the input of others.
Lawrence Kohlberg on Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg broke down his thoughts on the development of morality into three
distinct levels, each bisected by stages that are not defined or restricted to certain ages or groups.
(Scott, 2021, 220-221) Level one of his philosophy is about how and why a person obeys rules.
In the first stage of this level children follow house rules to avoid punishment, then turn to
satisfaction of personal needs as their primary motivator. Kohlberg’s second stage, his
“conventional” stage, sees a person still following rules and societal norms, but the motivating
factors of their actions are now geared towards their social relationships. Stage one of level two
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 4
puts much more emphasis on approval of society for morality validation, while stage two allows
for a widening of the scope of personal concerns, and an understanding that social order is
maintained by worthy laws. In the final, or “principled”, level people begin to create for
themselves their own principles upon which they weigh all issues of morality. Morals in this
level are applied to every person in every age, culture, and circumstance. Stage one of level three
sees actions based on the idea of a contract that one has with society, and the understanding that
laws and rules are flawed but are the best thing we’ve got going. The last stage of the last level
sees a person make decisions based on their own conscience, which then supersedes any rule or
law.
Elliot Turiel’s Moral Domain Theory
According to the National Academy of Education, Elliot Turiel defined the development
of morality as being how a person thinks or feels about concepts like welfare, justice, and rights.
A person could have differing views on these concepts in relationship to personal or societal
circumstances surrounding them. He believed that societies, and the cultures therein, were not
created equal. The views and thoughts of one group of people would be wholly different from the
views of another. He also believed that morality could be foretold according to social standing.
For example, someone in a position of power would have a different opinion about theft for
sustenance than the person committing such a crime. “His research shows that cultures are not
homogeneous and that different groups in social hierarchies disagree on how to apply
considerations of justice and equality.” (Elliot Turiel, n.d.) His current work still centers on the
topic of countering inequalities by studying children, teens, and adults via overt and covert
activities aimed at changing social standards and enhancing human equality.
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 5
Albert Bandura and Modeling Education
“Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling; from observing
others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions, this coded
information serves as a guide for action.” (Nucci & Turiel, 1978, 402) Albert Bandura used an
analogy to explain a bit of his thought process. In his analogy Bandura says that even if a person
has never played the game of baseball before and received no coaching they could ‘properly’
swing a bat at an incoming ball because at some point along the way you’ve seen someone do it.
Whether you saw that action live in Fenway Park or on TV in Williamsport, PA, a file lies
dormant in your head with that information just waiting to be pulled forward and used. Bandura,
in his observations, noted that actions that were rewarded somehow were most likely going to be
emulated by others, as well as actions that received consequences were likewise shunned and
avoided. Bandura also provided that mental states and levels of mental awareness have a massive
impact on learning as well. A stressed, sleepy, or tired student is not a good student while they
are stressed, sleepy, or tired.
Commonalities amongst Practices
With a similar objective in mind, that is the study of the development of moralities,
commonalities amongst practices and thoughts are bound to occur. Piaget and Kohlberg’s schools
of thought naturally incline themselves towards one another as they see rules as the base upon
which all other morals are built. (DeVries, 1997, 4) They tend to agree that rules and morality
coincide, at least early on. They also believe that morality progression is a journey through life
based on social norms, rules, and education. (Nucci & Turiel, 1978, 405) As a person grows, they
experience life and change under the directions of their implanted moralities until they reach
something of an enlightened age. Both Piaget and Kohlberg speak about a stage in which their
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 6
learners see beyond the confines of laws and understand the reasoning for their placement, and
the intention behind them. (Scott, 2021, 221)
Defining Differences
Reaching objective truth about the installment of morality requires reading between lines
to see the defining nuances and characteristics of each school of thought. In the case of Kohlberg
versus Bandura for example, we see Kohlberg’s insistence on foundational rules and growth
aligned with what is acceptable within the structure of their singular culture or group (Scott,
2021, 220), while Bandura would argue that adherence to rules is a mere byproduct of imitating
actions witnessed that receive rewards or the avoidance of actions witnessed that have received
punishments. (Nucci & Turiel, 1978, 405) Bandura would continue to disagree with Kohlberg,
allowing for education and morality lessons to come from TEDTalks, TiKTok, or Ted Lasso. To
Bandura, education could come from any and all observations. (Cherry, 2022) In his analogy of
the bat, a person may learn to be sufficient instead of proficient with a bat by witnessing
someone with experience complete the action. In writing a paper, a teacher might model the
actions for their students enough times to allow for proper intake by the students to become
proficient, not sufficient writers.
Proverbs on Education
In Proverbs chapter two, the idea that the lord our God gives his love and knowledge
through his teachings. Verse two deals with the aspect of listening to a lesson and states “so that
thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding” (Proverbs 2: 2, 2023).
This idea continues through the next few verses, culminating in five and six which says “Then
shalt thou understand the fear of the lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the lord giveth
wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” These lines deal with the
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 7
listening aspect of education and how wisdom is imparted. God gives us the lessons we need to
meet him at his gates. He speaks to us the words we need to hear and learn to achieve eternal
salvation and to be seated amongst the holy guard.
MORAL DEVELOPMENT PIAGET, KOHLBERG, TURIEL, AND BANDURA 8
References
Cherry, K. (2022, October 14). Social Learning Theory: How Bandura's Theory Works.
Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Verywell Mind:
https://www.verywellmind.com/social-learning-theory-2795074#a-few-applications-for-
social-learning-theory
DeVries, R. (1997). Piaget's Social Theory. Educational Researcher, 26(2), 4-17.
Elliot Turiel. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22, 2023 from National Academy of Education:
https://naeducation.org/our-members/elliot-turiel/
Nucci, L. P., & Turiel, E. (1978). Social Interactions and the Development of Social Concepts in
Preschool Children. Child Development, 49(2), 400-407.
Proverbs 2: 2, 5-6. (2023). From King James Bible Online:
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Proverbs-2_6/
Scott, D. (2021). On Learning: A general theory of objects and object-relations. UCL Press.
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