Summary Of Piaget's Theory Of Moral Development

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Piaget 's Theory of Moral Development
According to Piaget 's original formulation, children between the ages of 5 and 10 years see the world through the lens of a "heteronomous" (other-directed) morality. In this moral understanding, rules handed down by authority figures (such as parents, teachers and government leaders) are seen as absolute and unbreakable. Basically, children accept that authority figures have godlike powers, and are able to make rules that last forever, do not change, and must be followed.
Children 's reasoning regarding why these rules should be followed is generally based squarely upon their appreciation of consequences associated with breaking the rules. As breaking the rules tends to lead to negative personal consequences, most children follow the rules as a way to avoid being punished. The above is part of an article entitled `Moral Development` by Angela Oswalt, MSW. Written in
June 2010, on mentalhelp.net
Summary of Piaget`s Theory.
The morality of 5-9-year olds is: `Heteronomous`. This means that it is subject to another`s laws or rules. It incorporates a sense of Moral Realism. This means that all the elements of morality, such as rules, punishment etc., exist in their own right and come from external sources. So, things are seen as being clearly right or wrong, because the child has been told this is the case.
The morality of 10+ year olds is: `Autonomous`. This means being subject to one`s own laws or rules. It involves Moral Relativism,