O n l i n e . L e a r n i n g . S u p p o r t
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Southern Connecticut State University
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UNIT 3 READING ASSIGNMENT

UNIT 3 LECTURE

Kohlberg's MORAL STAGE THEORY

Kohlberg systematized Piagetıs thinking on morality and developed a hierarchy of moral development--this theory is still evolving. Only a minority of adults reach the post-conventional (conformity) levels of behavior, that is, those levels marked by the rights of others and the conscience acting as a guide to moral conduct.

Level I --

Moral values reside in external happenings, in bad acts or quasi-physical needs rather than in persons and standards.

• Stage 0 -- Premoral [infancy]
• Stage 1 -- Obedience and punishment orientation [early childhood, about 1-1/2 to 3 years]
  • The child defers to superior powers or prestige, or wants to stay out of trouble.
• Stage 2 -- Reciprocity orientation [middle childhood, about 3-6]
  • The child realizes that right action satisfies its needs and occasionally the needs of others.
  • Self-interest is paramount.
  • Trade-offs are values: "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."
  • Loyalty and gratitude don't enter in.

Level II --

Moral values reside in performing good or right roles, in maintaining the conventional order and pleasing others.

• Stage 3 -- The good child orientation [late childhood, about 6-12]
  • The main thing is to get approval by pleasing and helping others.
  • child conforms to majority or "natural" behavior.
• Stage 4 -- Law and order orientation [adolescence, about 13-20]
  • Doing one's duty, respect for authority, and maintaining the social order for its own sake are seen as "moral" actions.

Level III --

Moral values reside in principles separate from those who hold and enforce them, and apart from a person's identification with the enforcing group.

• Stage 5 -- The legalistic orientation [only a minority of adults reach this stage]
  • The rights of others as well as individuals rights are recognized.
  • Rights agreed upon by the whole society are accepted as binding, yet looked upon as subject to change.
  • Rights and duties are derived from the social contract.
• Stage 6 -- The conscience or principle orientation [only a minority of adults reach this stage]
  • Universally agreed upon ethical standards rather than "rules" guide moral conduct.
  • The ideas of justice, respect for others, and equality are examples of moral "ideals."

Social Learning Theory (Bandura)

Skinner and traditional learning theory emphasized the viewpoint that behavior change is based on principles of operant conditioning (behavior that is reinformed or rewarded will be learned). Bandura and others assert that children learn vicariously, that is, by observing the behavior of social models. Whether a child will imitate a behavior depends on the type of behavior as well as the consequences of that behavior, that is, whether the model is rewarded or punished. Behavior is more likely to be imitated when it is rewarded by a high-prestige person than by one with low prestige.

Vygotsky's ZONE OF PROXIMAL DEVELOPMENT

• Lev Vygotsky was a Soviet cognitive development psychologist.
• His concept of the "zone of proximal development" maintains there is a zone of learning marked at the bottom by assisted performance and at the top by individual manipulation.
• Within this zone, the child learns to manipulate ideas and skills independently by being assisted in varying degrees, as need by the individual child at the specific time. For example, a child is unable to tie his or her own shoelaces. However, by mimicking the steps performed by other, or by following each step as reminded verbally by another, the child is able to complete the task. Another form of assistance may be reminders of steps through questioning, for example, "Where do we lay the right lace?" "How do we make the right lace go under and over the left lace?"
• Assisted performance permits the child to successfully accomplish tasks that might otherwise be beyond the abilities of the child.
• [Reference: Mind in Society, 1978, Harvard University Press]
• Vygotsky is sometimes spelled Vygotski

UNIT 3 OTHER

Evaluation Form for L-Papers

Criteria

Yes

No

Comments

PAPER FORMAT
The paper is proper length (with about 250 words/page)	.	.	.
The paper is double-spaced with 1" margins	.	.	.
Appropriate font, size, and style	.	.	.
CONTENT
The paper is more than a book report or collection of quotations	.	.	.
The paper shows original critical thinking by the writer	.	.	.
The thesis (point of view) is developed with good supporting details	.	.	.
CLARITY OF FOCUS
The writerıs point of view or purpose is limited	.	.	.
The writerıs point of view is clear	.	.	.
DICTION, IDIOM USE
The writer chooses words and idioms that are appropriate to the topic	.	.	.
The writer chooses words and idioms that are appropriate to the audience	.	.	.
AUDIENCE/WRITER AWARENESS
The writer establishes his or her own identity and authority	.	.	.
The writer is sensitive to possible questions and objections from his/her reader	.	.	.
ORGANIZATION AND STYLE
The ideas are organized in a logical, sequential order	.	.	.
The paragraphs are fully developed and unified with smooth transitions between	.	.	.
Sentences are reasonably varied	.	.	.
MECHANICS
The writer exhibits a good command of standard English grammar and punctuation	.	.	.
The writer exhibits use of a spell-checker	.	.	.

See WebCT

After you have entered your Type Three writing [describe the use of toys and games in children's stories and why they are important (350 words)], read the entry immediately before yours and make suggestions for improving the writing, based on the focus correction areas (FCAs). [First person will need to read the last entry.] Upload your writings to the Peer Editing / Threaded Discussion for the day/unit due. Remember to make comments promptly on classmates' writings so they can be used in rewriting to the Type Four assignments. Type Four writings are expected to be a substantial improvement over the Type Three assignment.