Final answer:
It is true that reasoning is the key element in Kohlberg's stages of moral development, which emphasizes the progression through pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional levels based on one's reasoning for making moral decisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, a person's reasoning level is indeed a critical element in placing him or her within Kohlberg's stages of moral development. This theory posits that moral reasoning progresses through a series of stages: the pre-conventional level, featuring a focus on self-interest and rewards and punishments; the conventional level, where societal norms and the desire to uphold laws and rules become important; and finally, the post-conventional level, where abstract reasoning is used to understand universal ethical principles that may transcend laws. Kohlberg's interest was less in the decisions people made when presented with moral dilemmas, and more in the reasoning behind their choices. For example, in the Heinz dilemma, whether Heinz should steal a drug to save his wife was less important than why individuals believed he should or should not do so.