https://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/chapter/6-3-adolescence-developing-independence-and-identity/

The independence that comes with adolescence requires independent thinking as well as the development of morality—standards of behavior that are generally agreed on within a culture to be right or proper. Just as Piaget believed that children’s cognitive development follows specific patterns, Lawrence Kohlberg (1984) argued that children learn their moral values through active thinking and reasoning, and that moral development follows a series of stages. To study moral development, Kohlberg posed moral dilemmas to children, teenagers, and adults, such as the following:

A man’s wife is dying of cancer and there is only one drug that can save her. The only place to get the drug is at the store of a pharmacist who is known to overcharge people for drugs. The man can only pay $1,000, but the pharmacist wants $2,000, and refuses to sell it to him for less, or to let him pay later. Desperate, the man later breaks into the pharmacy and steals the medicine. Should he have done that? Was it right or wrong? Why? (Kohlberg, 1984)

14.4.1 Video Clip: People Being Interviewed About Kohlberg’s Stages

Figure 14.5. Kohlberg’s Moral Development Theory [YouTube Video].

As you can see in Table 6.5 “Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning”, Kohlberg concluded, on the basis of their responses to the moral questions, that, as children develop intellectually, they pass through three stages of moral thinking: the preconventional level, the conventional level, and the postconventional level.

Table 14.1. Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Reasoning.

Although research has supported Kohlberg’s idea that moral reasoning changes from an early emphasis on punishment and social rules and regulations to an emphasis on more general ethical principles, as with Piaget’s approach, Kohlberg’s stage model is probably too simple. For one, children may use higher levels of reasoning for some types of problems, but revert to lower levels in situations where doing so is more consistent with their goals or beliefs (Rest, 1979). Second, it has been argued that the stage model is particularly appropriate for Western, rather than non-Western, samples in which allegiance to social norms (such as respect for authority) may be particularly important (Haidt, 2001). And there is frequently little correlation between how children score on the moral stages and how they behave in real life (Gibbs, 2019).

Perhaps the most important critique of Kohlberg’s theory is that it may describe the moral development of boys better than it describes that of girls. Carol Gilligan (1982) has argued that, because of differences in their socialization, males tend to value principles of justice and rights, whereas females value caring for and helping others. Although there is little evidence that boys and girls score differently on Kohlberg’s stages of moral development (Turiel, 1998), it is true that girls and women tend to focus more on issues of caring, helping, and connecting with others than do boys and men (Jaffee & Hyde, 2000). If you don’t believe this, ask yourself when you last got a thank-you note from a man.

14.4.2 Influences in Moral Development

There are several factors that influence moral development during adolescence.

14.4.2.1 Family

Family is one of the most important influences in adolescents’ moral development. Family influences have a significant effect on moral development in adolescence and are displayed through reinforcement and direct or indirect teachings. One of the ways that this influence is seen is through family values. If a family stresses moral values like integrity, then adolescents are more likely to internalize and develop those moral values as well. Family members are also important role models for adolescents. If adolescents observe parents or siblings engaging in moral behavior, such as being honest, then they are more likely to engage in those behaviors as well. It has also been found that adolescents whose parents who use reasoning to guide their children’s behavior are positively affected by this authoritative parenting style in their moral development (Hazra & Mittal, 2018).

14.4.2.2 Peers

Along with family, peers are a significant influence in adolescents’ moral development. Adolescents are greatly influenced by their peers – this influence can affect their behavior, values, attitude, and moral development. For example, adolescents whose friends engage in morally wrong behavior, such as stealing, are more likely to engage in those behaviors themselves due to the peers’ influence (Jannsens & Dekovic,1997). Research studies have also found that there is a correlation between adolescents’ moral judgment and problems in peer relationships – as severe problems in adolescents’ peer relationships increase, their moral judgment tends to get affected negatively and decrease, especially during late adolescence (Zulfiqar, 2020).

14.4.2.3 Media

Media exposure can affect adolescents’ moral development in both positive and negative ways. Being exposed to and influenced by moral role models, such as a character who fights social injustice or who advocates for those who are powerless, is an example of positive influences on moral behavior and development. Examples of influences of negative moral behavior may be constant exposure to violence.

14.4.2.3.1 Influences on Teens

Media is an agent of socialization that influences our political views; our tastes in popular culture; our views of women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community; and many other beliefs and practices. In an ongoing controversy, the media is often blamed for youth violence and society’s ills. The average child sees thousands of acts of violence on television and in the movies before reaching young adulthood. Rap lyrics often seemingly extol ugly violence, including violence against women. Commercials can greatly influence our choice of soda, shoes, and countless other products. The mass media may also reinforce racial and gender stereotypes, including the belief that women are sex objects and suitable targets of male violence. In the General Social Survey (GSS), about 28% of respondents said that they watch four or more hours of television every day, while another 46% watch 2-3 hours daily (see “Average Number of Hours of Television Watched Daily”). The media certainly are an important source of socialization that was unimaginable a half-century ago.

Figure 14.6. Daily television viewing time. (Data from General Social Survey, 2008. Image by Ian Joslin is licensed under CC BY 4.0)

As the media socializes children, adolescents, and even adults, a key question is the extent to which media violence causes violence in our society. Studies consistently uncover a strong correlation between watching violent television shows and movies and committing violence. However, this does not necessarily mean that watching violence causes violent behavior: perhaps people watch violence because they are already interested in it and perhaps even committing it. Scholars continue to debate the effect of media violence on youth violence. In a free society, this question is especially important, as the belief in this effect has prompted calls for monitoring the media and the banning of certain acts of violence. Civil libertarians argue that such calls smack of censorship that violates the First Amendment to the Constitution. In contrast, others argue that they fall within the First Amendment and would make for a safer society. Certainly, the concern and debate over mass media violence will continue for years to come.

14.4.3 Sociocultural Factors

Sociocultural factors can influence adolescents’ moral development. These sociocultural factors include culture and religion. The beliefs, norms, and values that cultures have can affect adolescents’ moral development as they are strong indicators of what behavior is appropriate or not appropriate in that culture. Different cultures emphasize different values and reinforce behavior that aligns with those values; adolescents growing up in different cultures may have different moral judgements. For example, some cultures value honesty above any personal gain, while others may value harmony more and may overlook dishonesty if it helps to create harmony.