Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Development
Moral development has been the topic of philosophical and psychological debate for centuries. Psychologist Carol Gilligan’s theory of moral development challenged traditional viewpoints. Her innovative views centered on the development of women’s morality and sense of self, which she detailed in her 1982 book “In a Different Voice.” Gilligan developed her approach in response to the theory of moral development proposed by Lawrence Kohlberg, which she criticized for ignoring women’s perspectives.
Gilligan proposed that women come to prioritize an “ethics of care” as their sense of morality evolves along with their sense of self, while men prioritize an “ethics of justice.”
This article discusses the history of Gilligan’s theory of moral development, how it differs from Kohlberg’s theory of moral development, and how women develop their sense of self in the world.
Carol Gilligan and Her Theory of Moral Development
To understand how Gilligan developed her theory, it’s helpful to learn more about her background and the influences on her ideas. Gilligan received her PhD in social psychology from Harvard University in 1964 and, by 1967, was working as a research assistant to Lawrence Kohlberg at her alma mater.
Gilligan’s Argument Against Kohlberg’s Theory
Kohlberg’s theory of moral development consists of three levels, each one made up of two stages. At the lowest, the preconventional Level, the needs of the self are prioritized. This evolves into the conventional Level to an understanding of how to be a moral member of society. Finally, at the highest level, the postconventional level, the individual adopts a universal idea of justice.
Kohlberg suggested most people wouldn’t reach the highest stages of his scale. Instead, they would stop developing morally in the middle stages at the conventional level—and that’s exactly what research showed.
However, while both girls and boys tended to score at the conventional level on Kohlberg’s scale, girls scored predominantly at Stage 3, which is concerned with being a good person in order to maintain the goodwill and approval of others, while most boys scored at Stage 4, which is focused on adhering to the norms and laws of society.
This made it seem like men reached higher levels of morality than women, but Carol Gilligan noted that Kohlberg’s theory was formulated exclusively through research with young white males. As a result, she suggested that Kohlberg’s theory is biased toward men and boys and doesn’t account for women’s and girls’ perspectives on morality.
Men, she said, prioritize an “ethics of justice.” In this approach, morality is centered on abstract principles and rules that can be applied equally to everyone. Meanwhile, women prioritize an “ethics of care” where morality is centered on interpersonal relationships, and moral judgment is based on the context of an issue.
Gilligan conducted several interview studies with girls and women, including one with women who were deciding whether to have an abortion, to flesh out her ideas about women’s morality.
The goal of her work was to demonstrate that women don’t necessarily stop developing morally before men do, but that their moral development follows a different trajectory than that outlined in Kohlberg’s theory.
Stages in Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Development
Gilligan’s research in the abortion decision study led her to detail her own stage theory of moral development, which she detailed in a 1977 article that she expanded into her book “In a Different Voice.”
Gilligan’s theory used the same basic three-level outline as Kohlberg’s, along with two transitions between the levels. The levels and transitions are outlined below.
Preconventional Morality
At the preconventional level, moral judgment is entirely focused on the self and the need to survive. When a conflict arises between the needs of the self and the needs of others, a woman will choose to address her own needs.
Transition 1
As women navigate their journey from the preconventional to the conventional level, they begin to see the importance of their responsibilities towards others. This marks a significant moment where they understand that their earlier moral viewpoint might have seemed a bit self-focused.
Conventional Morality
At the conventional level, moral judgment becomes concentrated on caring for others. Women start to see themselves as participants in a society whose claim to being good citizens relies on helping and protecting others. This concern for others overrides their concern for themselves, leading to a morality focused on self-sacrifice.
Transition 2
As women move into the second transition from conventional to postconventional levels, they often find themselves trying to find a balance between caring for others and honoring their own needs. It’s a delicate shift that involves figuring out how to harmonize their personal desires with the needs of those around them.
This leads to a shift in moral judgment away from “goodness” to “truth” as they starts to honestly assess their own desires, not just their responsibility to others.
Postconventional Morality
At the postconventional level, making moral judgments focuses on the principle of nonviolence. It’s important to remember that your own needs matter just as much as the needs of others. This balance leads many women to develop a universal ethic of care and concern for everyone around them.
Adhering to the obligation of care while avoiding harm or exploitation to themselves and others enables women to accept responsibility for their choices.
Gilligan didn’t identify specific ages when the levels of moral development would be reached. However, as Kohlberg did with his theory, she noted some women might not reach the highest level. She also observed that it wasn’t life experience that pushed women to higher levels, but cognitive ability and changes in women’s sense of self.
The Ethics of Care and the Developing Sense of Self
Movement through Gilligan’s stages of moral development hinges on an evolving sense of self.
- At the preconventional level, only the needs of the self are recognized
- At the conventional level, the needs of others are prioritized while the needs of the self are denied
- At the postconventional level, a balance is struck between the needs of the self and others
The transition through these levels hinges on how a woman reconsiders what she believes is selfish. Throughout this process, a woman’s sense of self (and the moral compass that comes with it) is deeply influenced by her feelings of connection and responsibility toward others. As she moves through these levels, those feelings start small, focusing on those close to her, but eventually, they expand to include everyone, including herself.
Critiques of Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Development
While Gilligan’s ideas were groundbreaking, some feminist psychologists have also criticized them because they treat women’s voices as a single homogenous entity while ignoring the diversity of women based on age, class, race, and other factors.
Moreover, some have expressed concern over the suggestion that women emphasize care and connection more than men, arguing that this reinforces traditional ideas about femininity while potentially continuing to push women into caregiver roles.
Gilligan’s observations have also been critiqued as the result of societal expectations of men and women, not innate gender differences, which means that men’s and women’s moral development would follow different paths if society’s expectations were different.
Carol Gilligan’s Theory Today
Despite these criticisms, Gilligan’s theory of moral development continues to be studied today. It is now widely acknowledged that there are two moral orientations, one that emphasizes justice and one that emphasizes care, as Gilligan proposed.
It’s important to remember that both genders develop both orientations. However, studies have shown that men tend to emphasize an ethics of justice and women an ethics of care.
Research has continued to back up this assertion. For example, one study found that men and women handled ethical dilemmas in business differently, a result that was attributed to Gilligan’s theory. Similarly, research analyzing how men and women thought about morality found that men utilized a detached, intellectual approach while women used a subjective, personal approach.
Although both genders understood one another’s moral perspective, men and women were unable to comfortably adopt the other’s approach, demonstrating a gender divide consistent with Gilligan’s ideas.
This research demonstrates that the moral development of men and women tends to follow different trajectories that emphasize different things. Because women and girls often prioritize relationships and care over rules and principles, their approaches to ethical dilemmas in their professional, academic, and personal lives are likely to contrast with that of men and boys.
Because the world still tends to prize men’s perspectives over women’s, this may leave women and girls feeling alienated or alone. However, for women, girls, and those raising girls, it helps to keep in mind that Gilligan’s theory of moral development shows that many women and girls are likely struggling in similar ways.
This is knowledge that can perhaps enable them to feel less isolated and show them that their moral values and sense of self are legitimate even if they are different from men’s.
Takeaways
Gilligan’s ethics of care theory is still highly relevant today, particularly as society struggles with issues including inequality, social justice, and systemic discrimination. Political polarization and global struggles highlight the need for a care-centered approach to ethics that stresses community, empathy, interconnectedness, and collective well-being. By valuing compassion and care, Gilligan’s theory of moral development provides a framework that can help us foster a more equitable and inclusive environment for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the main focus of Gilligan’s theory?Gilligan’s theory focuses on sex differences in moral reasoning. Her theory suggests while men prioritize justice when making moral decisions, women prioritize a care orientation.
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When was Gilligan’s theory of moral development introduced?Carol Gilligan introduced her theory of moral development in her book “In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development,” which was published in 1982.
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What is the basic difference between Kohlberg’s theory of moral development and Gilligan’s?One of the primary differences between the two theories is that where Kohlberg’s theory suggested that moral principles were universal, Gilligan’s proposed that context plays a role in moral reasoning. According to Gilligan, women are more likely to consider how the context affects the choices people have and the decisions they make. Women are also more likely to make choices that preserve the individual’s sense of self and protect relationships with others.
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