Question

Which statement best states a central idea of the article? A. Lawrence Kohlberg interviewed a group of young men about moral decision making. B. Lawrence Kohlberg realized that people make decisions the same way their entire lives. C. Lawrence Kohlberg concluded that people's moral decision making develops as they age. D. Lawrence Kohlberg found that young children make decisions based on avoiding punishment.

Answer 1

Lawrence Kohlberg concluded that people's moral decision making develops as they age, following his theory setting out pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional stages. Gender differences in moral reasoning are also discussed with regards to justice and care perspectives, and the discrepancy between moral reasoning and behavior is acknowledged.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best states a central idea of the article about Lawrence Kohlberg and his theory of moral development is C. Lawrence Kohlberg concluded that people's moral decision making develops as they age. Kohlberg's theory posits that moral reasoning progresses through several distinct stages, including pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional levels. At the pre-conventional level, young children tend to make decisions to avoid punishment; at the conventional level, individuals adhere to societal standards; and at the post-conventional level, abstract principles are used to make moral decisions. Kohlberg's work demonstrates that as people mature, their moral reasoning evolves, and they are capable of understanding complex ethical principles, such as the concept that legality does not necessarily equate to morality.

Gilligan's Theory of Moral Development and Gender is also significant, as it suggests that there may be differences in moral reasoning between genders due to different perspectives on justice and care. Moreover, while moral reasoning advances with age, actual moral behavior can sometimes diverge from articulated moral reasoning, with individuals not always acting consistently with their stated beliefs.

Answer 2

The central idea is that Lawrence Kohlberg concluded moral decision making develops with age, aligning with his theory's stages of pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional reasoning.

Step-by-step explanation:

The central idea of the article focuses on the stages of moral development as theorized by Lawrence Kohlberg. He presented moral dilemmas to various people and noted that as individuals age, their reasoning behind moral decisions moves through distinct stages: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. This progression underscores the notion that moral reasoning develops with age and cognitive maturity, which is a central concept of Kohlberg's theory. Therefore, the statement that best encapsulates the central idea would be C. Lawrence Kohlberg concluded that people's moral decision making develops as they age.