Page 111 - Meeting with Children Book

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Level 1: Preconventional Morality
Stage 1: A child's sense of morality is externally controlled
through obedience and punishment. A behavior is viewed
as wrong if it is punished. Children accept and believe the
rules of authority figures, such as parents and teachers, and
they judge an action based on its consequences. At this
stage of pre-conventional morality, there is no internalized
sense of right and wrong, rather, something is wrong
because the consequences could result in punishment. An
example of this; "The last time I did this, I was spanked or I
had to go to my room" so I will not do that again. The more
extreme the punishment, the more the act is viewed as
"bad". It is a time of egocentricity; a lack of understanding
of other.

Stage 2: During Stage 2 of Preconventional morality (self-
interest driven) a child expresses the "what's in it for me"
position, in which right behavior is defined by whatever the
individual believes to be in their best interest but
understood in a narrow way which does not consider one's
reputation or relationships to groups of people. Stage two
reasoning shows a limited interest in the needs of others,
but only to a point where it might further the individual's
own interests. Children in the later ages of Early childhood
may reach stage 2 of Preconventional Morality.

What can be expected from a normally
developing 1.5-4 year old?

Look for the following:
1.5 to 4 yrs Child can intermittently inhibit his/her
behavior