Final answer:
The pre-conventional stage of moral development, as described by Lawrence Kohlberg, is where individuals focus on external consequences and obedience to authority to avoid negative personal outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stage of personal moral development in which an individual is concerned with external rewards and punishments and obeys authority to avoid detrimental personal consequences is known as the pre-conventional stage of moral development. This stage is usually seen in young children but can also be present in individuals who do not progress to higher stages of moral reasoning. Lawrence Kohlberg, a prominent figure in the study of moral development, described this stage as one where morality is viewed in a very concrete manner, focused on immediate physical consequences rather than internal moral principles or societal norms.
Children in this stage, typically before the age of nine, are only able to experience the world around them through their senses and lack the capacity to consider abstract principles.
For instance, in the pre-conventional stage, a child might refrain from doing something bad not because they understand it is wrong, but because they do not want to receive a punishment. It is not until they reach the conventional stage that they begin to consider the feelings of others and societal rules when making moral decisions.
Additionally, Carol Gilligan proposed a theory indicating that there are gender differences in moral development, suggesting that women may focus on care and responsibility in relationships while men may focus more on justice and rules. Regardless of these potential differences, the pre-conventional stage is characterized by a focus on direct consequences to oneself rather than broader social implications or principles.