Lawrence Kohlberg, an American psychologist, has propounded the Theory of Moral Development.He defined three levels of moral development: pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. Each level has two distinct stages.Key Point?Level 1: Pre-conventional Morality:- During the pre-conventional level, a childs sense of morality is externally controlled. Children accept and believe the rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers, and they judge an action based on its consequences. It consists of the first two levels of moral development. Here morality is judged based on the standards of adults and the consequence of an action.Stage I (Obedience and Punishment Orientation) - An action is immoral if it is punished by the authority. Children in primary schools follow this stage. At this stage, children have the fear that if they are not following the obedience principle, they get punished by the teachers or parents.Stage II (Individualism and Exchange) - This stage is self-interest driven and children understood for the first time that different individuals may have different viewpoints. An action is considered morally correct if it is in the best interest of the individual.Level 2: Conventional Morality: During the conventional level, an individuals sense of morality is tied to personal and societal relationships. Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures, but this is now because they believe that this is necessary to ensure positive relationships and societal order. This level consists of stages three and four. Stage III (Good boy-good girl orientation) - Intention of the actor is more important in terms of judging the moral values. If the intention is to gain the consensus of others or approval of the society then the actor will be judged morally right. At this stage, the children have the ideology of a good boy good girl attitude. Example: I better not drink and drive because my friends will think less of me and I, in turn, will think less of myself.Stage IV (Social-order maintaining orientation) - Judgment of morality is based on one's duty, law, and social order. Actively maintaining the current social system ensures positive human relationships and societal order. Example: I am personally against the war, but would never publicly protest it on campus without the administration's permission.Level 3: Post Conventional Morality: During the post-conventional level, a persons sense of morality is defined in terms of more abstract principles and values. People now believe that some laws are unjust and should be changed or eliminated. The last level consists of stages five and six of moral development. According to Kohlberg, very few people are able to reach this level. Stage V (Social contract and Individual rights)- In this stage, the individual or child understands that different people and communities may hold different views and laws. Laws of the society are not rigid and should be changed with the change in the time and needs of the society.Stage VI (Universal Ethical Principles orientation) - Individuals judge morality based on some universal principles that transcend beyond society's rules and regulations. Individuals reason that human rights and justice is most important even if they go against the societal laws.Thus, it is concluded that at Social-order maintaining orientation stage of moral reasoning in Lawrence Kohlberg's theory, children believe that rules must be enforced in the same manner for everyone and each individual must obey them as his personal duty.