Moral Development

Let’s take a look at moral development. According to psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg, your decision will be based on your level of moral development.

Kohlberg identified three phases of moral development, with two stages in each phase. At the preconventional level of moral development, people decide based on selfish reasons. People at the conventional level of moral development make decisions that conform to societal expectations. People at the postconventional level of moral development use internalized ethical principles to solve ethical dilemmas.

Kohlberg believed that people would progress sequentially from earlier stages to later stages as they be-came more educated and mature. But only 20 percent of adults ever reach the postconventional stage of moral development, where internal principles guide their decisions. Most adults are in the conventional stage of moral development, in which they look outside themselves to others for guidance on ethical issues. This means that most people in the workplace look to and need leadership when it comes to ethical decision making.