Which psychologist is associated with the Heinz dilemma and moral development theory?

Which psychologist is associated with the Heinz dilemma and moral development theory?

• A. Jean Piaget
• B. Lawrence Kohlberg
• C. B. F. Skinner
• D. Albert Bandura

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how people reason about moral choices and how moral understanding develops over time. Lawrence Kohlberg is the psychologist most closely linked to this approach. He expanded on earlier work to propose a stage theory of moral development, outlining six stages organized into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. He used the Heinz dilemma—a scenario in which a man steals a drug to save his wife’s life—to study the reasoning people use, not just what they decide. Kohlberg showed that people move from concrete, self-centered or rule-based justifications toward more abstract, principled reasoning. For example, early reasoning might focus on obedience or personal gain, while later reasoning considers the value of human life, social contracts, and universal ethical principles. This is why Kohlberg is linked with both the Heinz dilemma and the broader theory of moral development. In short, Kohlberg’s work using the Heinz dilemma demonstrates how moral thinking can become more sophisticated and principled as people progress through the stages.

The idea being tested is how people reason about moral choices and how moral understanding develops over time. Lawrence Kohlberg is the psychologist most closely linked to this approach. He expanded on earlier work to propose a stage theory of moral development, outlining six stages organized into three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional. He used the Heinz dilemma—a scenario in which a man steals a drug to save his wife’s life—to study the reasoning people use, not just what they decide.

Kohlberg showed that people move from concrete, self-centered or rule-based justifications toward more abstract, principled reasoning. For example, early reasoning might focus on obedience or personal gain, while later reasoning considers the value of human life, social contracts, and universal ethical principles. This is why Kohlberg is linked with both the Heinz dilemma and the broader theory of moral development.

In short, Kohlberg’s work using the Heinz dilemma demonstrates how moral thinking can become more sophisticated and principled as people progress through the stages.