ABSTRACT
Lawrence Kohlberg is the starting point for this research. Much has been written about Kohlberg’s work, and Kohlberg himself was a prolific writer1. Yet many recent interpretations are amazingly distorted and ignorant of the research. Consequently, this chapter presents a brief restatement of the cognitive-developmental approach begun by Kohlberg in the mid-1950s. It provides an updated version of research findings. It describes an expanded view of morality that acknowledges the limitations of moral judgment research as well as its contributions. This chapter is background for the theory and research of the following chapters. Readers already familiar with Kohlberg’s cognitivedevelopmental approach, Defining Issues Test, the research base in moral judgment, and the Four Component Model, may wish to skip this chapter and go directly to the next chapters.
