Kohlberg conventional morality — MRCPsych Paper A MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

ModeratePsychologyKohlberg conventional moralityMRCPsych Paper A

A 12-year-old says, "Stealing would still be wrong even if I were not punished, because my family and friends would disapprove and society depends on people obeying its laws." According to Kohlberg's theory, which level of moral reasoning is best illustrated?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A — Conventional moral reasoning

Explanation lettering: C = shown as B · E = shown as C · B = shown as D · D = shown as E

The correct answer is **A, conventional moral reasoning**. The child judges the act by reference to others' approval and the need to maintain laws and social order. These correspond broadly to stages 3 and 4, both within Kohlberg's conventional level. Preconventional reasoning (D) would focus primarily on avoiding punishment or obtaining personal benefit; the stem explicitly states that the judgement persists without punishment. Post-conventional reasoning (B) would evaluate laws against abstract rights, social contracts or self-chosen universal ethical principles. Operant extinction (C) concerns the reduction of behaviour after reinforcement is withdrawn and does not classify moral justification. Formal operational reasoning (E) is Piaget's capacity for abstract thought; it may support sophisticated moral reasoning but is not itself a Kohlberg level.

Reference: Andrade-Cabrera IA et al. Exploring medical ethics: moral reasoning among new pediatric resident physicians in a tertiary hospital. Bol Med Hosp Infant Mex. 2024;81(5):294-300. https://elearninghub.rcpsych.ac.uk/catalog?pagename=Paper_A_mapping