Assertion (A) : Children progress from understanding consequences of act to determine whether they are good/bad to understanding that rules and laws are flexible and can be changed.
Reason (R) : According to Kohlberg, children’s moral development occurs in continuous manner and not a discontinuous one.
Choose the correct option.
The statement suggests children move from understanding actions based on consequences (good/bad) to realizing rules and laws can be flexible and changed. This progression aligns with Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development. Early stages focus on punishment and obedience (consequences), while later stages, like the social contract stage (Stage 5), involve understanding that laws are social agreements that can be changed for the greater good. Thus, Assertion (A) is considered true.
Kohlberg's theory is structured around distinct stages of moral reasoning, grouped into three levels: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. The concept of distinct 'stages' implies a progression through qualitatively different phases, which is typically characterized as discontinuous development. While the transitions might be gradual, the theory emphasizes discrete stages rather than a purely continuous, smooth progression. Therefore, the statement that development occurs in a 'continuous manner and not a discontinuous one' contradicts the fundamental structure of Kohlberg's stage theory. Thus, Reason (R) is considered false.
Based on this analysis, the correct option is that A is true but R is false.
Match List - I with List - II.
| List - I | List - II |
|---|---|
| (A) Obedience Orientation | (I) Moral reasoning based on winning the approval of others |
| (B) Interpersonal norms | (II) Moral reasoning based on moral principles that apply to all |
| (C) Social contract | (III) Moral reasoning based on the belief that adults know what is right or wrong |
| (D) Universal ethical principles | (IV) Moral reasoning is based on the belief that laws are for the good of all members of society |
If a small child dropped his/her 'roti' in water then, the other small child will not be in favour of giving 'roti' to him/her. How ever an adolescent will agree to give him/her another 'roti' keeping in view his/her young age. This behaviour of the adolescent is :