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Module – Who am I? Who are you?

Lesson 5 – My morals made me do it.

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Lesson 5 Index

Theories of Moral Reasoning

Lawrence Kohlberg

Cross Cultural Analysis

John Haidt

Neurobiological Basis of Moral Reasoning

In Conclusion

References

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Summarize the cognitive mechanisms involved in each

stage of Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning

Objective #22

Moral Reasoning…

According to Kohlberg

Theory of Moral Development

♂ Preconventional Level♂ Stage 1: Punishment and Obedience

♂ Stage 2: Mutual Benefit

♂ Conventional Level♂ Stage 3: Interpersonal Expectations

♂ Stage 4: Law and Order

♂ Postconventional Level♂ Stage 5: Legal Principles

♂ Stage 6: Universal Moral Principles

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The Heinz Dilemma

In Europe, a woman was near death from a special kind of cancer. There was

one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium

that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was

expensive to make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug

cost him to make. He paid $400 for the radium and charged $4,000 for a

small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone

he knew to borrow the money and tried every legal means, but he could only

get together about $2,000 which is half of what it cost. He told the druggist

that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later.

But the druggist said: “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make

money from it.” So having tried every legal means, Heinz gets desperate and

considers breaking into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife.

Preconventional: Stage 1

Morality is based on punishments and rewards. Judgments are

formed according to external authorities.

Chris, age 6:

“[Heinz] did something wrong; he will go to jail.”

[click]

Preconventional: Stage 2

Morality is reciprocal. We seek what is in

our best interest, and only help others if it

benefits us.

Jonathan, 7 :

“He shouldn’t get in trouble for stealing it because he really

needed it and the man who was selling it was so greedy and

only wanted the money.”

[click]

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Conventional: Stage 3

“Right” is being a “good” person by conforming to social

expectations.

Andrea, 9:

“Because if you do you are caring about other

people instead of just you.”

[click]

The Bridge Dilemma

In Korea, a company of Marines was way outnumbered and was retreating

before the enemy. The company had crossed a bridge over a river, but the

enemy were mostly still on the other side. If someone went back to the

bridge and blew it up, with the head start the rest of the men in the

company would have, they would probably then escape. But the man who

stayed back to blow up the bridge would not be able to escape alive. The

captain himself is the man who knows best how to lead the retreat. He asks

for volunteers, but no one will volunteer. If he goes himself, the men will

probably not get back safely and he is the only one who knows how to lead

the retreat.

Conventional: Stage 4

“Right” is helping to maintain social order by doing one’s duty and

showing respect for authority.

Grace, 11:

“That man joined the Army and the captain

has every right to order his men.”

[click]

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Postconventional: Stage 5

“Right” is protecting basic rights of all members of society by

upholding legal principles that promote fairness, justice,

equality, and democracy.

Taya, 10:

“He’s doing it for the right reasons but he

shouldn’t still.”

[click]

Postconventional: Stage 6

“Right” is determined by self-chosen ethical standards that

underscores ideals. If these conflict with laws, self-chosen

principles take preference.

Christa, 14:

“We must recognize all humans as human.

Human life is human life.”

[click]

Break down Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning by

gender and culture

Objective #23

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Cross-Cultural Relevance

• Western emphasis on individual rights, harm, and justice

• Don’t reflect collectivist emphasis on interdependence and

group harmony

• Heinz’s Dilemma

“If nobody helped him, I would say that we had caused the

crime.” man from New Guinea

Hockenbury, D. and Hockenbury, S. (2006). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York, New York: Worth

Publishers.

Moral Reasoning…

According to Gilligan

Carol Gilligan – Gender differences

♀ Later criticized his theory of moral development as being biased toward a male perspective

♀ Proposed care-orientation as an alternative method of moral reasoning

♀ Believes girls are more inclined towards care-orientation so they score lower on Kohlberg’s stages because care-orientation is associated with stage 3 (good interpersonal relationships).

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Gilligan’s Three-Stage Theory

♀ Preconventional: Egocentricism

♀ Conventional: Care for others

♀ Postconventional: Balancing care for self and others

“The moral judgments of women differ from that of men in

the greater extent to which women’s judgments are tied to

feelings of empathy and compassion and are concerned

with the resolution of real as opposed to hypothetical

dilemmas.” Gilligan, 1982

Discuss morality according to Haidt’s five fundamental

moral impulses

Objective #24

Harm / Care

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Fairness / Reciprocity

Authority / Respect

In-Group Loyalty

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Purity / Sanctity

Creates most conflict

Best predictor of

attitudes

Abortion

Gay marriage

5 Fundamental Moral Instincts

“Seeing things from multiple perspectives gives you a much better view of the whole.”

A. Newberg

Illustrate how Haidt’s theory of morality can be understood

as a worldview

Objective #25

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Haidt’s Theory as a Worldview

Harm / Care

Fairness / Reciprocity

Ignore or don’t see other

perspectives

See as outdated or backwards

Loyalty

Authority

Purity

Acknowledges other

perspectives, but don’t

emphasize

Liberals Conservatives

Describe the neurobiological basis of moral reasoning by

discussing the roles of various structures and regions in the

brain

Objective #26

The Brain and Moral Reasoning

Frontal Lobe (blue)

Temporal Lobe (green)

Abstract reasoning

Working memory

Willful thinking

Regulates emotions

Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need

for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.

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In conclusion…

What is morality?

Moral Reasoning = neurobiology + social influence

Interconnectedness = compassion and empathy

Individualists – guilt motivates change

Collectivists – shame motivates change

Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological

Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.

How to Change Beliefs

1. Ideals and beliefs are superior to others

2. Logical justification for beliefs

3. Clearly defined group behavior

4. Reinforce 1-3 over and over

5. Contractual agreement (commitment to group)

1-5 are standard in most groups

Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.

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References

Haidt, J. (2007). Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion. Retrieved August

13, 2009 from http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt07/haidt07_index.html

Hockenbury, D. and Hockenbury, S. (2006). Psychology (3rd ed.). New York, New York:

Worth Publishers.

Jacobs, T. (2009, April 27). Morals Authority. Retrieved October 4, 2009 from

http://www.miller-mccune.com/culture_society/morals-authority-

1099/2?article_page=3.

Naukan, D. and Fredendall, C. (n.d.). Morality in Kohlberg and Gilligan [PowerPoint].

Retrieved October 4, 2009 from

http://dante.udallas.edu/fredendall/child_growth/ChildGrowth/Kohlberg.ppt.

Newberg, A. and Waldman, M.R. (2006). Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering

Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. New York: Free Press.