NVS Staff Nurse - 2022
Applied Psychology
Easy

Who proposed the six stages of moral development?

Appeared in: NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

Explanation

  • Lawrence Kohlberg proposed the theory of moral development, which consists of six stages organized into three levels.
  • His theory suggests that moral reasoning develops sequentially, moving from a focus on self-interest to social approval, and finally to abstract ethical principles.
  • The levels are Pre-conventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional.
  • The six stages are: 1. Punishment & Obedience, 2. Instrumental Relativist, 3. Good Boy-Nice Girl, 4. Law & Order, 5. Social Contract, and 6. Universal Ethical Principles.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option B: Anna Freud's primary contributions were in the field of child psychoanalysis and the identification of defense mechanisms, not moral development.
  • Option C: Jean Piaget's work focused on cognitive development in children, outlining how their thinking processes evolve. While he touched on moral judgment, Kohlberg significantly expanded upon it.
  • Option D: Sigmund Freud is the founder of psychoanalysis and is known for his theory of psychosexual development, which is distinct from moral development.

Related Visual

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Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Theories of Moral Development as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Understanding Kohlberg's stages helps nurses appreciate the moral reasoning of patients and their families, which is crucial when navigating complex ethical dilemmas, such as end-of-life care decisions.
  • Nurses can tailor patient education and communication based on a patient's likely stage of moral development. For example, a patient at the conventional level may be more receptive to information that emphasizes rules and the well-being of their family.
  • What if? If a nurse is caring for an adolescent who refuses a necessary treatment because their friends think it's 'weird' (Stage 3: Good Boy-Nice Girl), the nurse can reframe the conversation to appeal to a higher stage, like Stage 4 (Law & Order), by explaining the hospital rules and the importance of the treatment for their long-term health and ability to participate in society.
How to Approach the Question
  • First, identify the key concepts in the question: 'six stages' and 'moral development'.
  • This is a factual recall question that requires knowledge of major psychological theorists.
  • Mentally review the main contributions of each theorist listed in the options.
  • Associate Lawrence Kohlberg with the theory of moral development.
  • Associate Piaget with cognitive development, Sigmund Freud with psychosexual development, and Anna Freud with defense mechanisms.
  • Select the theorist whose work directly matches the concept of moral development stages.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Theories of Moral Development
  • Stem keywords: six stages, moral development
  • Lead-in keywords: Who proposed

Question ID

QC2JLPBQqNxvFoEYq-MqRy

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 167-169

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 2437-2439

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 2839-2841

Practise the full NVS Staff Nurse - 2022

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.