Kohlberg Scale

The Kohlberg Scale is a system created by Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget, that is used to determine one’s moral reasoning and ethical development. He divided his findings into six categories:

Level 1 (Pre-Conventional)

1. Obedience and punishment orientation (wants to avoid punishments)
2. Self-interest orientation (bases on self-benefit)

Level 2 (Conventional)

3. Interpersonal accord and conformity (bases decisions on social norms)
4. Authority and social-order maintaining orientation (bases it on the judicial law)

Level 3 (Post-Conventional)

5. Social contract orientation (mutual benefit)
6. Universal ethical principles (bases on principles that go beyond just benefits)

Using these stages, you can judge one’s reasoning behind their answer to a controversial morality question and see how it says a lot about their personality and mindset.