A Critical Review of Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Judgment and a Guideline on its Developmental Stages

A Critical Review of Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Judgment and a Guideline on its Developmental Stages   A.R. Assaareh, Ph.D. * A. Mahdizaadeh Tehraani** A.R. Amini Zarrin*** S. Azimi****   Developmental theories describe and explain stages in which different aspects of human psyche develop. Among such theories is Kohlberg’s theory of moral judgment wherein a complex mixture of different personality dimensions is present. Despite reviews and critiques on this theory, it seems that some of its aspects have remained hidden and unexplained. Through structural modeling, the authors have identified the missing element in this theory and thus accounting for its difference with the views of philosophy and religion scholars on morality. This missing element is actually a stage of development that Kohlberg has overlooked. Collected data from high school students in Tehran has verified the seventh post conventional stage whereby not only Kohlberg’s theory is brought closer to what Maslow had in mind, but also helps with its compatibility with what Kant has called “moral act”.   Keywords: morality, moral development, stages of moral reasoning, Kohlberg, criticism   ______________________ Date received: Feb. 12, 2017                   Date accepted: Dec. 24, 2017 *Associate Professor of Curriculum Planning, Shaheed Raja’ie University, (Corresponding author), [email protected] **Doctoral Student in Curriculum planning, Shaheed Raja’ie University, [email protected] *** Doctoral Student in Curriculum planning, Shaheed Raja’ie University, [email protected] **** Doctoral Student in Curriculum planning, Allameh Tabataba’i University, [email protected]