ERIC Number: EJ742378
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jul
Pages: 6
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-295X
EISSN: N/A
Should Kohlberg's Cognitive Developmental Approach to Morality Be Replaced with a More Pragmatic Approach? Comment on Krebs and Denton (2005)
Gibbs, John C.
Psychological Review, v113 n3 p666-671 Jul 2006
Krebs and Denton (2005; see record 2005-08166-005) proposed that Kohlberg's cognitive developmental approach to morality be replaced by a pragmatic approach more relevant to everyday social behavior and the cooperative moral orders of society. Although the Krebs and Denton article raises some legitimate questions, their proposal is at best premature and provokes some serious concerns. Their starting point, that Kohlberg's model of morality is inadequate, is an evaluation shared by many neo-Kohlbergians. Before the cognitive developmental approach is replaced, however, important contributions (e.g., Rest's schema interpretation of the stages) toward refining or improving the approach must be adequately considered. Evidence suggests that Krebs and Denton may have underestimated relations between moral judgment stages and social behavior, including sudden behavior in emergency situations.
Descriptors: Cognitive Development, Moral Values, Decision Making, Social Behavior, Models, Ethical Instruction, Cooperation, Moral Issues
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A