Which of the following statements about Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory is correct ?

The correct statement is "It presents conflicting situations to children."

Lawrence Kohlberg developed his theory of moral development by presenting ethical dilemmas or hypothetical moral conflict situations (such as the famous Heinz dilemma) to children and adolescents. By examining how individuals reasoned through these conflicting choices, Kohlberg identified distinct stages of moral reasoning.

Let us analyze why the other options are incorrect:

1. "It takes into account effects of culture and gender on moral reasoning."
This is incorrect. Kohlberg’s theory was criticized (notably by Carol Gilligan) for failing to account for gender differences, as his initial sample consisted entirely of boys. It was also criticized for imposing Western-centric moral values without fully considering cultural contexts.

2. "It does not specify exact stages for progression of moral development in children."
This is incorrect. Kohlberg clearly specified six discrete stages divided into three major levels of moral development (Pre-conventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional).

3. "It is based on the study done through experimental methods."
This is incorrect. Kohlberg primarily used qualitative clinical interview techniques and moral dilemma story discussions rather than quantitative experimental laboratory methods.

Therefore, the only correct statement regarding Kohlberg's methodology and theory is that it relies on presenting conflicting situations (dilemmas) to assess moral reasoning.