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Kohlberg's stages of moral development

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development outline how individuals develop their understanding of right and wrong over time. He proposed three main levels: 1. **Pre-conventional**: Morality is based on personal consequences and rewards. 2. **Conventional**: Morality is tied to social rules and the expectations of others, focusing on maintaining relationships and societal approval. 3. **Post-conventional**: Morality is guided by personal principles and the recognition of universal ethical standards that may transcend laws. Each level contains two stages, reflecting a progression from self-centered reasoning to principled reasoning, illustrating moral growth throughout life.

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    Kohlberg's stages of moral development outline how individuals evolve in their understanding of morality. They consist of three main levels: 1. **Pre-conventional**: Focused on personal benefits and avoiding punishment. 2. **Conventional**: Emphasizes societal norms and the desire to be a good citizen, following laws and rules. 3. **Post-conventional**: Centers on abstract principles and universal ethical values, where individuals may question laws if they conflict with their beliefs of justice. Kohlberg argued that moral reasoning matures through these stages, reflecting deeper ethical understanding as one ages and experiences more of life’s complexities.