Lawrence Kohlberg, the American psychologist, gained popularity at the early 1970s, due to the theory of moral development. He popularized it via research studies as an expansion of Jean Piaget's work explaining children moral development. According to Kohlberg, moral development follows sequential stages, just like cognitive development. His classification comprises of three levels, which include pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional ("KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT," 2019).
As a registered nurse, my level of moral development in relation to the moral development process is post-conventional. This is because my sense of morality is not founded on simplistic but rather sophisticated and complex values and principles. At this level, I can identify some unjust laws, and I believe that they should be amended or done away with. Again, I realize that there is a difference between society and individuals. Therefore, with the two being separate entities, it compels individuals to disobey rules that are not consistent with their own principles ("Lawrence Kohlberg's Six Stages of Moral Development", 2019). Additionally, I realize that in different situations, humans might be different at levels, especially when it is in a new work setting.
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As a post-conventional moralist, I live by own ethical principles. The principles feature liberty, life as a fundamental human right, and justice. The latter makes it possible for me to value the set rules in the society at large and healthcare setting but as mechanisms that can be changed. I believe that rules that cannot be changed perpetrates dictatorship and hence discourages questioning. In conclusion, as a post-conventional moralist, situational moral evaluation precedes social convention. This may make others mistake my behavior with stage six universal ethicist or pre-conventional members. Therefore, if confronted by a dilemma in my nursing profession, I would justify my actions using the above outlined moral reasoning since moral behavior calls for responsibility and consistency.
References
Lawrence Kohlberg’s Six Stages of Moral Development. (2019). Retrieved from
https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/Lawrence-Kohlbergs-Six-Stages-of-Moral-Development
KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT. (2019). Retrieved from
http://www5.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/kohlberg01bk.htm
