Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral Development

1. Stage 2 - Individualism and Exchange

1.1. At this stage children recognize that there is not just one right view that is handed down by the authorities.

2. Stage 1 - Obedience and Punishment Orientation

2.1. The child assumes that powerful authorities hand down a fixed set of rules which he or she must unquestioningly obey.

3. Stage 3 - Good Interpersonal Relationships

3.1. At this stage children--who are by now usually entering their teens--see morality as more than simple deals. They believe that people should live up to the expectations of the family and community and behave in "good" ways.

4. Stage 4 - Maintaining the Social Order

4.1. At stage 4 the respondent becomes more broadly concerned with society as a whole. Now the emphasis is on obeying laws, respecting authority, and performing one's duties so that the social order is maintained.

5. Stage 5 - Social Contract and Individual Rights

5.1. At stage 5, people begin to ask, "What makes for a good society?" They begin to think about society in a very theoretical way, stepping back from their own society and considering the rights and values that a society ought to uphold.

6. Stage 6 - Universal Principles

6.1. At stage 6, we define the principles by which we achieve justice.