How Do We Tell Right From Wrong?

Which statement best states a central idea of the article? (RI.2)

• Lawrence Kohlberg interviewed a group of young men about moral decision-making.

• Lawrence Kohlberg realized that people make decisions the same way their entire lives.

• Lawrence Kohlberg concluded that people's moral decision-making develops as they age.

• Lawrence Kohlberg found that young children make decisions based on avoiding punishment.

Which of the following best describes the author’s primary purpose in writing this article? (RI.6)

• To convince readers that Kohlberg’s theory is outdated

• To explain how moral development can be studied scientifically

• To entertain readers with stories of moral dilemmas

• To criticize how children are taught about right and wrong

Which statement best describes the difference between preconventional reasoning and postconventional reasoning? (RI.3)

• Preconventional reasoning is based on community norms, but postconventional reasoning is based on religious beliefs.

• Preconventional reasoning is based on avoiding punishment, but postconventional reasoning is based on earning rewards.

• Preconventional reasoning is based on benefiting oneself, but postconventional reasoning is based on one's personal morals and values.

• Preconventional reasoning is based on following one's moral principles, but postconventional reasoning is based on doing what is best for oneself.

According to Kohlberg, how does Stage 4 moral reasoning represent a greater concern for society than Stage 3 reasoning? (RI.3)

• Stage 4 moral reasoning is concerned about society's laws instead of a desire for approval.

• Stage 4 moral reasoning is concerned about society's approval instead of what is morally right.

• Stage 4 moral reasoning is concerned about other people's approval instead of personal rewards.

• Stage 4 moral reasoning is concerned about other people's success instead of avoiding punishment.

Which quotation below best supports the idea that the common good becomes more important to people as they age? (RI.1)

• Kohlberg came up with a theory to describe the different ways that human beings make moral choices. (Paragraph 5)

• They tend to follow the rules that their parents and teachers make because they are thinking about getting something good or not getting in trouble. (Paragraph 7)

• They see rules as being the same for everyone, and they think it is important and valuable to do what one is 'supposed' to do. (Paragraph 12)

• Once a person begins to think in a Stage 5 way about what benefits the community as a whole, they will almost never go back to a Stage 2 level of looking out for themselves first. (Paragraph 16)

What is the author’s main purpose in including the “Heinz Steals the Drug” scenario? (RI.6)

• To argue that Heinz was justified in breaking the law

• To explain why people sometimes make poor choices

• To show how Kohlberg tested moral reasoning in his research

• To highlight the unfair cost of medicine

Which quotation best supports the idea that people’s moral reasoning changes over time? (RI.1)

• We make thousands of decisions a day, large and small.

• Kohlberg noticed that most of the interview subjects developed new ways of thinking about ethics over the years.

• Kohlberg and his team of interviewers presented the scenarios to each boy one at a time…

• Then Kim walks quickly out the door without paying.

Which of the following best explains how the author develops the idea that moral reasoning changes as people grow? (RI.5)

• By showing how Kohlberg changed his theory over time

• By listing laws that apply differently to children and adults

• By describing how people at different ages respond to the same moral dilemma

• By interviewing teachers about student behavior