Kohlberg: conventional moral reasoning
A teenager says stealing medicine is wrong because it breaks the law, and society depends on people obeying laws. Kohlberg would classify this reasoning as:
Answer A: explanation for every choice
A
Correct. Conventional reasoning focuses on social rules, approval, and maintaining order.
B
Preconventional reasoning focuses on avoiding punishment or gaining rewards for oneself.
C
Postconventional reasoning appeals to abstract principles that can override laws.
D
Concrete operational is one of Piaget's cognitive stages, not a level of moral reasoning.
TakeawayPreconventional: consequences for me. Conventional: rules and approval. Postconventional: universal principles.
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Reviewed 2026-11-05 by a medical student. Spot an error? Report it with question ID ps76.