Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development • Topic 5 of 5

Criticisms & Classroom Implications

The critique questions are worth easy marks. Carol Gilligan, Kohlberg's best-known critic, argued his theory has a gender bias: it was based on male samples and prizes an 'ethic of justice' (rights, rules, abstract principles) while undervaluing the 'ethic of care' (relationships, compassion, responsibility) more often voiced by women — so women were wrongly scored lower. Other criticisms: a cultural bias toward Western individualism (collectivist cultures may reason differently yet maturely); a gap between moral reasoning and actual moral behaviour (knowing the right reasoning doesn't guarantee doing it); and that the highest stages are rare and idealised. For teaching, Kohlberg's value is the use of moral discussion: presenting dilemmas, encouraging perspective-taking and debate, and creating a 'just community' classroom — exposing students to reasoning one stage above their own gently pulls them upward (a Vygotskian echo). Moral development is fostered through reasoning and discussion, not moralising or rote rules.

✅ Solved examples

1. Who criticised Kohlberg for a gender bias and proposed an “ethic of care”?
Carol Gilligan — she argued the theory undervalued care, relationships and responsibility relative to abstract justice.
2. A common criticism is that Kohlberg's theory is biased toward:
Western, individualistic (justice-based) values, potentially scoring collectivist or care-based reasoning as lower.
3. A frequently noted gap in Kohlberg’s theory is that moral reasoning does not always match:
Actual moral behaviour — people may reason at a high level yet act otherwise.
4. The best classroom method to foster moral development, per Kohlberg, is:
Discussion of moral dilemmas and perspective-taking (a “just community”), exposing students to slightly higher-stage reasoning — not lecturing or imposing rules.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. The “ethic of care” critique of Kohlberg was made by:
Female psychologist.
Carol Gilligan
2. Kohlberg’s theory is often said to be culturally biased toward:
Western individualism.
Western / individualistic values
3. Reasoning at a high stage but not acting on it shows the gap between:
Thought vs action.
Moral reasoning and moral behaviour
4. To promote moral growth, a teacher should mainly use:
Not moral lectures.
Dilemmas and debate.
Moral dilemma discussion / perspective-taking

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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