ABSTRACT
Relatively few ethical theories have been the subject of research to validate or refine their central tenets. Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of cognitive moral development and the neo-Kohlbergian approach1 of James Rest and associates (Rest et al. 1999a) provide examples of an ethical framework that has evolved in response to ongoing research. This chapter outlines the major features of Kohlberg’s original theory of moral development, describes criticisms and limitations of Kohlberg’s six-stage framework, delineates changes made to the Kohlbergian approach in formulating the neo-Kohlbergian perspective, describes a study of moral reasoning among public administrators with the Defining Issues Test (DIT) of James Rest (1979, 1986, 1993; Rest and Narvaez 1998a), and highlights differences between the Kohlbergian and neo-Kohlbergian interpretations of its results for public administration ethics. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the manner in which ethical theory and descriptive research in public administration can be enriched through the ongoing cycle of descriptive research and subsequent reflection.
