Koulberg's theory of moral development comprises of following stages:
(A) Obedience orientation
(B) Intellectual disability orientation
(C) Rewards/exchange orientation
(D) Law and order orientation
(E) Social contract orientation
Choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Correct Answer :
(A), (C), (D), (E)only
Solution :
The correct option is (A), (C), (D), (E) only.
Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development outlines three levels of moral reasoning, with each level divided into two stages, making a total of six stages. Let us analyze the given orientations to identify which ones belong to Kohlberg's stages:
1. (A) Obedience orientation: This is part of Stage 1 (Obedience and Punishment Orientation) under Level 1 (Pre-conventional Morality). At this stage, rules are viewed as fixed and absolute, and behavior is focused on avoiding punishment.
2. (C) Rewards/exchange orientation: This corresponds to Stage 2 (Individualism and Exchange or Instrumental Relativist Orientation) under Level 1 (Pre-conventional Morality). Here, right behavior is defined by what best serves one's self-interest and involves mutual benefit or exchange.
3. (D) Law and order orientation: This represents Stage 4 (Maintaining the Social Order or Authority and Social-Order Maintaining Orientation) under Level 2 (Conventional Morality). The focus is on obeying laws, respecting authority, and performing one's social duties to maintain social order.
4. (E) Social contract orientation: This represents Stage 5 (Social Contract and Individual Rights Orientation) under Level 3 (Post-conventional Morality). In this stage, laws are seen as social contracts rather than rigid edicts, and they should be changed if they do not promote the general welfare.
5. (B) Intellectual disability orientation: This is not a stage or orientation in Kohlberg's theory of moral development. Intellectual disability is a clinical condition and is unrelated to Kohlberg's moral development stages.
Therefore, orientations (A), (C), (D), and (E) are stages of Kohlberg's theory of moral development, making (A), (C), (D), (E) only the correct choice.
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