Question

Einhorn and Finkle are in a convenience store together. For a while they talk about stealing hot dogs and deodorant, for they are both hungry and smelly. They both eventually decide not to steal, however. Einhorn decides not to steal because he is afraid of getting caught and punished. Finkle decides not to steal because he thinks stealing is wrong and wants to act in a way he would want others to act.
A) When comparing the level of moral development (and motivations) of these two individuals based on Kohlberg’s theory we could conclude __________.

Answer 1

Answer:

The answer is - Einhorn decides not to steal according to the pre-conventional level where as Finkle decides not to steal according to the conventional level

Explanation:

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development  is related to cognitive development and it states that there are three levels of moral thinking which we progress through that build on our cognitive development. It also proposes that there are reasoning behind moral choices.

There are three levels of moral development according to Lawrence Kohlberg. They are;

• The Pre-conventional Level- Children focus obeying external authority or higher authority figures such as parents or teachers because the Child's moral sense is yet to internalize with the society's conventions as regards what is right or wrong. Hence they focus on the consequences of their actions if they obey authority figures.
• The Conventional Level- In this level the child's moral sense is bounded by societal and personal relationships as they try to maintain positive relationships and societal order by accepting rules of authority figures.
• The Post-conventional Level -In this level people now believe that some laws are prejudiced and should be discarded.

In this scenario, Einhorn decides not to steal according to the pr conventional level because he is afraid of getting caught and punished. Finkle on the other hand decides not to steal because it i wrong and he wants to act in a way he would want others to act, this is the conventional level because he knows his right from wrong and is trying to maintain societal order by not doing what he would not want others to do.