Child Life Certification Practice Test 2026 – The Comprehensive All-in-One Guide for Exam Success!

Kohlberg's theories of moral development are centered on how individuals perceive and act upon concepts of justice, rights, and duties throughout their lives. A key focus of his stages of moral development is the understanding and discrimination between right and wrong. This process involves evaluating moral dilemmas and recognizing the underlying principles that guide ethical behavior.

Kohlberg proposed that individuals progress through distinct levels of moral reasoning, from basic, self-interested perspectives to more advanced, principled levels where they understand universal ethical principles. This development reflects an individual's capacity to consider broader social implications and moral standards, emphasizing the distinction between right actions based on rules and the intrinsic values of fairness and justice.

While understanding personal values and emotional intelligence are important aspects of overall development, they are not the primary focus of Kohlberg's framework. Intimacy formation, too, although related to social development, does not directly relate to the core of moral reasoning as described by Kohlberg. Hence, the ability to discern right from wrong stands out as the central aspect of his theory.