Final answer:
More mature moral judgments according to Piaget and Kohlberg's theories consider principles such as justice and human rights and transcend laws and social conventions, while Carol Gilligan suggests that women may focus more on care and relationships in moral reasoning.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Piaget, more mature moral judgments consider the context of actions and take into account intentions, as well as the consequences of actions. As individuals develop through Piaget's stages of moral understanding, they move from focusing on obedience and avoiding punishment, to maintaining social order, and finally, to weighing principles such as justice and human rights. Lawrence Kohlberg later expanded on Piaget's work to develop his theory of moral development, defining three levels of moral reasoning: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. In the post-conventional level, which aligns with what Piaget describes as more mature moral judgments, individuals consider moral principles that transcend laws and social conventions, focusing on ethical principles like equality and the right to life. This is where legality and morality might not align, and actions are evaluated based on moral principles rather than rules or outcomes alone. Carol Gilligan, a researcher who worked with Kohlberg, provided a critique of his theory by suggesting that it may show gender bias, as Kohlberg's research was predominantly conducted on males. Gilligan proposed that females might approach moral reasoning differently, focusing more on care, relationships, and contextual factors rather than justice and rules alone.