1. Kolhberg’s three stages of moral development were developed by studying the answers to a moral dilemma offered by children aged 10 to 16. Based on the result of the study he developed the following levels:
Level 1: pre-conventional morality, which guides children who do not have a personal code of morality, and apply the codes of adults. This level includes two stages:
Stage 1. Obedience and Punishment orientation. During this stage, the child tries to be good, in order to avoid punishment. My own personality formation involved this stag when I was a child, and until adolescence. At this point, I felt that the judge had the final say in morality issues.
Stage 2. Individualism and exchange. At this stage, children discover that there are different points of view in regards to right and wrong (McLeod). I reached this stage in adolescence, when I developed a greater understanding of the different morality systems , which depend on time period and culture, and within the same society, on cultural background.
Level 2: conventional morality, which is shared by most teenagers and adults. At this stage, young people internalize the moral code of the adults they value.
Stage 3. Good Interpersonal Relationships. The child or adult behaves as a good person in order to be perceived as good by others (McLeod). At this stage, I was still an adolescent, and for me, this stage followed, or occurred at the same time, with the previous stage of Individualism and exchange. During this stage, I became concerned to be the right side of the law, to be a law abiding citizen. I was careful to respect the moral codes of the society in order to make my loved ones were proud of me. For example, I am polite, I try not to discriminate against other people, and I refuse to spend time with people who may be breaking the law.
Stage 4. Maintaining the social order. The child or individual begins to recognize the values of the society, and he or she tries to obey these rules.
Level 3: Post –conventional morality, is a stage at which many adults never arrive. It consists in self-chosen principles based on personal reasoning.
Stage 5: Social contract and individual rights. The individual becomes aware that, while rules exist for the greater good of the society, they are not always applicable to particular contexts and individuals. I believe that I may have reached this stage because I understand that sometimes there are exceptions to the law, or the law does not offer solutions for all individuals.
Stage 6. Universal principles. People at this stage develop their own moral principles, which may not fit the law, but which are universal in scope and purpose. They may be ready to stand against the entire society in defending them (McLeod).
Kolhberg suggested that the third level is difficult to for many people to reach. I agree with Kohlberg that the last stage is difficult to achieve, because people leave in societies, and are influenced by their own cultures and social norms. They are socialized in this respect from birth and it is extremely difficult to become aware of these influence, and to go beyond them.
2. The key agents of socialization include the family, the school, religion, the work place and mass media. The family is the first agent of socialization in a child’s life. My family influenced me to develop a gender role, by rewarding me when I accomplished a task which my parents considered fit for my gender and adopted a disapproval tone, when they considered that my behavior was not appropriate. I believe that this was the most important agent of socialization in my life. My family acted as an agent of socialization, by teaching me not only gender roles, but also, religious beliefs, cultural norms, and rules of conduct. School also had an important role in socialization. Education is an endeavor which allows kids to develop (Boundless 2013). It also reinforced the gender norms taught by the family, but also taught me to behave in groups.
3. Feral children are human beings who lived isolated from human contact for most of their lives, and have no experience of human care, language and contact (Boundless 2013). Sociologists use feral children to explain the importance of socialization, because feral children lack the basic skills which are naturally acquired by children within families or groups of people in general. The children are impaired because they cannot develop language, or learn basic social skills. For example, they may never learn to use a toilet. This means that, if not learnt at critical stages in the development, certain abilities, like the ability to use language completely, they may never be developed (Boundless 2013).
Works Cited
Boundless. “Agents of Socialization”. Sociology. 2013. Web. https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/socialization-4/agents-of-socialization-46/
Boundless. “Feral Children”. Sociology. 2013. Web. https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/socialization-4/the-role-of-socialization-42/feral-children-268-5241/
McLeod, “Kohlberg”. Simply Psychology. 2011. Web.
http://www.simplypsychology.org/kohlberg.html
