High School

Annaliese knows that her friend is paying an online service to write a term paper. This bothers her, but she knows that if she tells the teacher, everyone will think she is a snitch. She decides her friends' approval is more important, so she says nothing about the cheating.

What stage of moral reasoning does this exemplify?

A. Conventional
B. Post-conventional
C. Formal operational
D. Pre-conventional

Answer :

Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development can be grouped into three categories:

- Preconventional: on this stage the sense of morality is attached to external aspects, the individual has not internalized morality yet.

- Conventional: the sense of morality is tied to a person or social relationships, the individual continues following the rules of authority figures but with the interest of social approval.

-Post-conventional: on this stage the sense of morality reachs a level of abstraction that allows the individual to grow on principles and values.

Considering the above, the conventional stage of morality is the one that best illustrates Annaliese's behavior.

Final answer:

Annaliese's decision to not inform her teacher about the cheating showcases the conventional level of moral development, according to Kohlberg's theory, where the individual's actions are influenced more by peer approval than by a personal sense of right and wrong.

Explanation:

Annaliese's friend's act represents an ethical issue in the scenario and the way Annaliese chose to handle this is best described by Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development. According to Kohlberg, the stages of moral reasoning are categorized as pre-conventional (generally before age 9), conventional (early adolescence), and post-conventional (upon reaching formal operational thought).

Annaliese's moral reasoning seems to fall under the conventional level of moral development. At this stage, reasoning is based on society and peer's expectations, rather than on internal moral principles. In Annaliese's case, she decided not to tell her teacher about the cheating because she didn't want to be perceived as a 'snitch' amongst her friends, showing that peer approval was more important to her than following established rules.

Learn more about Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development here:

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