Question 1

What research method did Kohlberg use to develop his theory of moral development?

Accepted Answer

Kohlberg used interviews with children as his primary research method to develop his theory of moral development. He presented participants with hypothetical moral dilemmas and then analyzed their responses to identify patterns in their reasoning regarding moral decisions.

Question 2

Piaget believed that children think in what two distinct ways about morality?

Accepted Answer

Piaget believed that children think in two distinct ways about morality: heteronomous morality and autonomous morality. Heteronomous morality refers to the early stage when children view rules as fixed and handed down by authority figures. They believe that breaking rules will inevitably lead to punishment, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the situation. Autonomous morality refers to the later stage when children view rules as flexible and based on mutual agreement. They understand that rules can be changed by agreement between individuals and that breaking a rule does not necessarily lead to punishment.

Question 3

After reading an article by Piaget,parents would be most likely to attempt to improve their child's level of moral reasoning by

Accepted Answer

Piaget's theory emphasizes the importance of social interaction in the development of moral reasoning in children. He believed that through engaging with peers and discussing moral issues, children learn to understand and negotiate different perspectives, which enhances their moral development.

Question 4

Who used moral dilemmas to study moral development?

Accepted Answer

Lawrence Kohlberg used moral dilemmas, such as the Heinz dilemma, to study moral development.

Question 5

Immanent justice is best thought of as ________ justice.

Accepted Answer

Immanent justice refers to the notion that the consequences of one's actions are built into the action itself and are experienced immediately. Therefore, the best choice is C, immediate justice. Choice A, intrusive, and choice B, intensive, do not accurately describe the concept of immanent justice. Choice D, individual, is not directly related to the concept of immanent justice.

Question 6

A child is presented with a story in which someone has a conflict about whether or not to lie in a particular situation.The child is then asked to decide what is appropriate for the character to do and why.What domain of moral development is the researcher examining?

Accepted Answer

The researcher is examining the domain of reasoning in moral development, as they are asking the child to make a decision based on their reasoning about what is appropriate for the character to do in the situation presented.

Question 7

A child who says he should not lie to his parents because he would get punished if he got caught demonstrates the _________ level of morality.

Accepted Answer

In the preconventional level of morality, a child's reasoning is based on avoiding punishment or seeking rewards. The child believes that what is right is what they are allowed to do or what they can get away with. In this case, the child is not considering the ethical implications of lying, but rather is making a decision based on the consequences of getting caught.

Question 8

At what Piagetian stage of moral development does a child believe in immanent justice?

Accepted Answer

Immanent justice, also known as "divine justice," is a belief that bad acts will inevitably be punished, and good acts will be rewarded, regardless of human intervention. This belief is typically seen in Piaget's stage of heteronomous morality, which is characterized by a strict adherence to rules and the belief that rules are unchangeable and enforced by a higher authority. As children progress to the stage of autonomous morality, they develop a more nuanced understanding of rules and justice, recognizing the role of human agency and the need for flexibility in certain situations.

Question 9

Imagine that you visited Piaget when he was still alive,and a colleague told you that he was researching children's understanding of rules and moral development.Since you are familiar with Piaget's methods,where would you expect to find him?

Accepted Answer

Piaget was known for his research on children's cognitive development and understanding of rules and moral reasoning. Therefore, it is most likely that he would be found observing children in a naturalistic setting, such as an elementary school playground. A laboratory with a primate colony, church, or college basketball game would not be a relevant location for Piaget's research on moral development in children.

Question 10

Your best friend Jessica recently participated in a psychological study.When you ask her how it went,she says,"It was easy.I was just asked what I thought about some Heinz guy who stole drugs for a living." Jessica was in a study of moral development based on the methods of

Accepted Answer

Lawrence Kohlberg is known for his theory of moral development, which involves stages of moral reasoning. He often used a scenario involving a man named Heinz who steals drugs to save his dying wife as a way to test participants' moral reasoning abilities. Therefore, Jessica's description of the study suggests that she was participating in a Kohlberg-based study of moral development.

Question 11

Dr.Henry asks his subjects questions like,"How should teachers treat their students?" What is he most likely to be interested in?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Henry's question is related to morality and ethics, indicating that he is most likely interested in moral development.

Question 12

Kirby's peer group always agrees that each of them should get ten tries at hitting a pitched ball.When two younger children want to play,the group agrees that the younger kids should each get 20 tries.Kirby's group's behaviour indicates

Accepted Answer

The answer of Kirby's peer group always agrees that each...

Question 13

Kari says,"I think cleaning your room is a good thing to do because your mother will give you money if you do it." This type of logic is indicative of Kohlberg's ______________________ stage of thinking.

Accepted Answer

Kari's reasoning is based on the exchange of goods or benefits, which is characteristic of stage 2 in Kohlberg's theory of moral development, known as the individualism, instrumental purpose, and exchange stage. In this stage, individuals focus on their own interests and weigh the personal benefits of their actions.

Question 14

Six-year-old Dylan was taught a card game in which aces are "wild." His friend suggests that they make all the eights wild as well.Dylan insists that this is impossible as only aces can be wild.Piaget would describe Dylan as being in the stage of ________ morality.

Accepted Answer

Dylan's belief that only aces can be wild demonstrates a rigidity in his thinking and adherence to rules set by authority figures, which are characteristics of the heteronomous stage of morality according to Piaget. In this stage, rules are seen as absolutes and cannot be altered or challenged.

Question 15

When considering the goodness of an act,what does an autonomous thinker focus on?

Accepted Answer

An autonomous thinker focuses on the intentions of the individual involved when considering the goodness of an act. Autonomous thinkers prioritize personal responsibility and individual agency in decision-making, and therefore prioritize the intentions of individuals over universal conventions or immediacy of consequences. Fairness may be considered in the decision-making process, but it is not the primary focus.

Question 16

In the study of moral development,developmentalists examine four domains.Which of the following is not a domain?

Accepted Answer

The four domains of moral development examined by developmentalists are reasoning (how individuals think about moral issues), behaving (how individuals act on their moral beliefs), feeling (the emotional aspects of morality), and a social aspect (how individuals interact with others and their social context). "Contrasting" does not fit into any of these categories and therefore is not a domain of moral development.

Question 17

What is the first stage in Kohlberg's theory of moral development?

Accepted Answer

The first stage in Kohlberg's theory of moral development is preconventional reasoning, which involves individuals making decisions based on self-interest and obedience to authority. Children in this stage may justify their actions by saying things like "I did it because I wanted to" or "I did it because my parents told me to."

Question 18

Which best describes the reasoning of a child in the heteronomous morality stage?

Accepted Answer

In the heteronomous morality stage, a child believes that rules are fixed and given by authority figures, and cannot be changed. Therefore, the child's reasoning is based on the concept of absolute right and wrong. Choices A, B, and C do not reflect the reasoning of a child in this stage.

Question 19

Ian has been told by his psychology instructor that cheating is forbidden.On his first exam,Ian is overcome by temptation and looks at the answer sheet of the person sitting next to him.Ian then begins to sweat in anticipation of the punishment that he believes the instructor is about to deliver.This behaviour demonstrates the concept of

Accepted Answer

This scenario demonstrates the concept of immanent justice, as Ian believes that punishment will automatically follow his behavior of cheating. It does not show autonomous moral reasoning or the care perspective, and postconventional thinking would involve making a moral decision to not cheat rather than giving into temptation.

Question 20

Lori says,"It's wrong to lie because you might get a spanking." According to Kohlberg,which stage of moral development is she in?

Accepted Answer

Lori is in the preconventional stage of moral development because her reasoning for not lying is based on avoiding punishment. This stage is common in children under the age of nine, and their moral decisions are often based on avoiding punishment or gaining rewards.

Quiz 13: Moral Development