Eduqas A Level Psychology
Eduqas A Level Psychology Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968) Exam Questions
Free Eduqas A Level Psychology revision for Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968): what you need to know, common mistakes and exam-style questions with answers. Covers Kohlberg's 1968 study of moral development: moral dilemmas, the longitudinal and cross-cultural method, the six stages, findings and methodological evaluation.
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About Eduqas A Level Psychology Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968)
The developmental psychology classic in Component 2 is Kohlberg (1968), 'The child as a moral philosopher'. Kohlberg studied how moral reasoning develops by giving boys hypothetical moral dilemmas and analysing the reasons for their answers, following the same participants for years and comparing several cultures. You need to know the method, the three levels and six stages, and the main findings, but the exam focuses on research methods: longitudinal and cross-cultural designs, qualitative data from interviews, sampling and validity. Examiners frequently ask about the all-male sample and the use of hypothetical rather than real dilemmas.
What you need to know
- Aim To show that moral reasoning develops through a fixed sequence of stages, with each stage reflecting a different way of thinking about right and wrong.
- Method A longitudinal study of 75 American boys, aged 10 to 16 at the start, interviewed at regular intervals into adulthood using hypothetical moral dilemmas such as the Heinz dilemma. Boys of 10, 13 and 16 in other countries, including Taiwan, Mexico and Turkey, were also studied, giving a cross-cultural comparison.
- Pre-conventional level Stage 1: punishment and obedience orientation. Stage 2: instrumental purpose, where right is what satisfies your own needs.
- Conventional level Stage 3: 'good boy, nice girl' orientation, seeking approval. Stage 4: law and order, maintaining authority and the social order.
- Post-conventional level Stage 5: social contract, where laws can be changed for the good of society. Stage 6: universal ethical principles chosen by the individual.
- Findings and conclusions Stages were passed through in the same order in every culture, though not everyone reached the higher stages and the rate varied; in some isolated villages stage 5 and 6 reasoning was rarely seen. Kohlberg concluded moral development is universal and linked to cognitive development.
Common mistakes in Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968)
- Scoring the stage from the decision (steal or not steal). Kohlberg scored the reasoning behind the answer, not the choice itself.
- Saying the study included girls. The original sample was all male, which led to Gilligan's criticism of gender bias.
- Calling the study purely cross-sectional. The main study was longitudinal, following the same boys over time, with cross-cultural comparisons added.
- Claiming everyone reaches stage 6. Very few people reasoned at stage 6, and many adults stayed at the conventional level.
- Treating answers to hypothetical dilemmas as evidence of real behaviour. Moral reasoning about stories may differ from what people actually do.
Try three Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968) exam-style questions
1. Identify the type of data Kohlberg collected and give one strength of it. (2 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Qualitative data (verbal reasoning in interviews); strength: gives rich detail on the reasons behind moral judgements, allowing the stage to be identified.
2. Explain one strength and one weakness of the longitudinal design used by Kohlberg. (4 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Strength: the same participants were followed so participant variables are controlled and real development over time can be seen; weakness: participant attrition over many years can bias the remaining sample, and it takes a long time and is costly.
3. Evaluate the validity of Kohlberg's (1968) research. (8 marks)
Show the mark scheme answer
Hypothetical dilemmas lack ecological validity, as real moral behaviour may differ; Heinz dilemma may be unfamiliar in some cultures, a cultural bias; all-male sample shows gender bias according to Gilligan; however cross-cultural data support the universal sequence; longitudinal data show stages in order; interpretation of interviews may be subjective, so inter-rater reliability matters.
Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968) FAQs
What does Eduqas A Level Psychology Developmental Psychology (Kohlberg, 1968) cover?
Kohlberg's moral dilemma research, his three levels and six stages, and how its longitudinal, cross-cultural interview method can be evaluated.
Which paper is Kohlberg examined in?
It is examined in Component 2, Psychology: Investigating Behaviour, a 2 hour 15 minute written paper worth one third of the A level.
How can I remember Kohlberg's stages?
Group them into pairs: pre-conventional (punishment, self-interest), conventional (approval, law and order) and post-conventional (social contract, universal principles), and link each to an example answer to the Heinz dilemma.
