Which statement best describes Stage 4 of Kohlberg's Moral Development?

• A. Judgments based on the approval or disapproval of authorities.
• B. Judgments based on whether the behavior upholds/violates laws of society.
• C. Judgments based on consequences for self or others.
• D. Judgments based on whether the behavior preserves social contracts that arise from cooperative collaboration.

Answer: (D)

Stage 4 centers on maintaining social order by following laws and fulfilling duties. At this level, people judge actions by whether they conform to the rules and laws that keep society functioning. They believe the right behavior is whatever upholds legal norms and the functioning of the system, even if it doesn’t serve their immediate self-interest.

The statement that judgments are based on whether the behavior upholds or violates laws of society matches this law-and-order orientation precisely. In contrast, preserving social contracts from cooperative collaboration belongs to the next, postconventional stage where rules are seen as flexible and justified by shared agreements and rights. Judgments based on consequences for self or others reflect earlier levels focused on personal outcomes, and judgments based on approval or disapproval of authorities align more with seeking external validation rather than adhering to established legal order.