Piagets cognitive stages of development serve as the underpinnings for Kohlbergs
theory, but Kohlberg suggested that there are six stages of moral development. These stages, he argued, are universal. Development from one stage to another, said Kohlberg is fostered by opportunities to take the perspective of others and to experience confict beteen ones current stage of moral thinking and the reasoning of someone at a higher stage. The Kohlberg Stages: !. Preconventional reasoning is the loest level of moral reasoning, said Kohlberg. "t this level, good and bad are interpreted in terms of external reards and punishments. Stage 1. Heteronomous moralit Stage 2. !n"ivi"ualism# instrumental $ur$ose# an" e%change #. &onventional reasoning is the second, or intermediate, level in Kohlbergs theory of moral development. "t this level, individuals apply certain standards, but they are the standards set by others, such as parents or the government. Stage 3. 'utual inter$ersonal e%$ectations# relationshi$s# an" inter$ersonal con(ormit Stage 4. Social sstems moralit $. Postconventional reasoning is the highest level in Kohlbergs theory of moral development. "t this level, the individual recogni%es alternative moral courses, explores the options, and then decides on a personal moral code. Stage 5. Social contract or utilit an" in"ivi"ual rights Stage 6. )niversal ethical $rinci$les E&OLOG!&*L THEORY + )rie Bron(enbrenner Bron(enbrenners ecological theor &'ronfenbrenner, !()*, #++,- 'ronfenbrenner . /orris, !((), #++*0 holds that development refects the infuence of several environmental systems. ,ive environmental sstems: The microsystem is the setting in hich the individual lives. These contexts include the persons family, peers, school, and neighborhood. The mesosystem involves relations beteen microsystems or connections beteen contexts. 1xamples are the relation of family experiences to school experiences, school experiences to religious experiences, and family experiences to peer experiences. The exosystem consists of links beteen a social setting in hich the individual does not have an active role and the individuals immediate context. The macrosystem involves the culture in hich individuals live. The chronosystem consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course, as ell as socio2historical circumstances. 3141315617 8ife29pan Development. !$ th ed. 9antrock, :. #+!!. pp. #)2#(, $!(2$#!