Kohlberg's moral development

Should Heinz steal the overpriced drug to save his dying wife? Kohlberg didn't care whether you said yes or no — he cared why. That reasoning, not the verdict, is what reveals your stage of moral development, and the Heinz dilemma is the most famous exam prop in the whole domain.

Kohlberg proposed three levels, each split into two stages, for six stages total. They're not tied to fixed ages, but they run in order.

Level 1 — Preconventional (typically children): morality is about consequences to the self. Stage 1, Obedience & Punishment — right = avoiding punishment ("Heinz shouldn't steal, he'll go to jail"). Stage 2, Instrumental/Self-Interest — right = what benefits me, simple exchange ("steal it, he needs his wife around").

Level 2 — Conventional (most adolescents and adults): morality is about social approval and law. Stage 3, Good Boy/Nice Girl — right = pleasing others, being seen as good ("stealing makes him a good husband"). Stage 4, Law & Order — right = upholding rules, authority, and social duty ("stealing is illegal, period").

Level 3 — Postconventional (a minority of adults): morality transcends specific laws. Stage 5, Social Contract — laws are flexible social agreements serving the greater good ("the law wasn't written for this; life outweighs property"). Stage 6, Universal Ethical Principles — self-chosen ethical principles like justice and human dignity override any law ("a human life is worth more than any statute, always").

Clinical Pearl: Remember it's the reasoning that determines the stage, never the yes/no answer — two people can both say "steal the drug" from Stage 2 self-interest or Stage 6 principle. Memorize the three levels as Pre / Conventional / Post and the stage-4 Law & Order vs. stage-5 Social Contract distinction, the pair examiners most love to trap you on.