Lawrence Kohlberg:
Stages of Moral Development

Level A: Preconventional Level

• Punishment and Obedience
  • Obedience to rules and authority/ avoidance of punishment
    
    

• Individual Instrumental Purpose and Exchange
  • Making fair deals; serving one another's interests
    
    

Level B: Conventional Level

• Mutual Interpersonal Expectations, Relationships and Conformity
  • Playing a good (nice) role; keeping trust in relations
    
    

• Social Systems and Conscience Maintenance
  • Doing one's duty in society

Level C: Postconventional and Principled Level

• Prior Rights and Social Contract or Utility
  • Upholding basic rights, even when conflicting with concrete rules of one's group
    
    
• Universal Ethical Principles
  • Assumes universal ethical principles that all humanity should follow

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