Final answer:
Movement from one level to another in Kohlberg's stages of moral development is predominantly due to psychological factors, though social and cultural factors also play a role. Individuals advance through stages as they encounter moral dilemmas and reflect on their experiences, leading to increasingly complex moral understanding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Movement from one level to another in Kohlberg's stages of moral development results primarily from psychological factors, although social factors and cultural factors can influence this progression as well. Kohlberg's theory suggests that as individuals encounter different moral and ethical dilemmas, their reasoning and subsequent stages of moral understanding can evolve. Critical life events or complex moral situations that challenge a person's current moral reasoning can catalyze progress to a higher stage of moral development.
The transition from pre-conventional to conventional and eventually to post-conventional levels of moral reasoning involves increasingly complex understandings of what constitutes right and wrong. At the conventional level, for instance, individuals begin to internalize societal norms and understand morality in terms of what is accepted by society. These stages are not strictly defined by age but rather by the psychological development of the individual as they interact with and reflect upon their experiences and societal norms.
It is important to note that moral reasoning is not the same as moral behavior, and that an individual's decisions in specific situations may be influenced by a variety of stages at any given time. Some individuals may never progress beyond the earlier stages, while others move into higher stages of moral reasoning as a result of personal challenges and life experiences that require deep reflection on moral and ethical dilemmas.