High School

What stage of moral reasoning does Annaliese exemplify in the following scenario?

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. Although the approval from her peers is important to her, Annaliese believes that sticking to her principles is more important. She decides to tell the teacher and suffer the consequences that she will receive from her peers.

Answer :

Final answer:

Annaliese's actions fall under the stage of post-conventional morality in Kohlberg's stages of moral development. In this stage, principles and universal ethical values guide individuals' actions, even if those actions might lead to social disapproval.

Explanation:

Annaliese's decision to tell the teacher about her friend paying for an online service to write a term paper despite the potential negative consequences exemplifies the stage of post-conventional moral reasoning according to Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral development. In this stage, individuals make moral decisions based on principles that transcend societal norms and rules. They are willing to bear social disapproval or legal consequences for acting according to what they perceive as right and universally applicable moral principles.

In Annaliese's situation, the peer disapproval she might face for reporting her friend's act of academic dishonesty, which is akin to plagiarism, does not prevent her from sticking to her principles. Her moral reasoning signifies a level of ethical development that transcends the fear for social rejection or maintaining order (characteristics of Kohlberg's lower conventional morality stage), and focuses instead on principles of justice and individual rights.

However, as specified in the reference information, moral reasoning and moral behavior may sometimes diverge, due to a multitude of factors such as circumstances, individual experiences and societal pressure. Yet, in this case, Annaliese's decision to report her friend's dishonesty demonstrates the application of her advanced moral reasoning into her behavior.

Learn more about Post-conventional morality here:

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