Page 152 - Meeting with Children Book

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Level 2: CONVENTIONAL MORALITY
By age 7 some children move towards the next level of
moral development (Conventional Morality, Stage 3).
Throughout Conventional Morality , a child's sense of
morality is tied to personal and societal relationships.
Children continue to accept the rules of authority figures,
but this is now due to their belief that this is necessary to
ensure positive relationships and societal order. Adherence
to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid during these
stages, and a rule's appropriateness or fairness is seldom
questioned.

Stage 3: Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation
In stage 3, children want the approval of others and act in
ways to avoid disapproval. Emphasis is placed on good
behavior and people being "nice" to others. Children want
to be liked and thought well of and they now understand
that being "good" results in positive responding by
caregivers and others. "People like me when I am good".
Conforming to rules for one's social role is not yet fully
understood at this stage.

Stage 4: Maintaining Social Order
In stage 4, the focus is on obeying laws and social
conventions because these things ensure the society can
function. Once in stage 4 of moral development, behavior
is no longer based on individual approval, rather the idea is
that there are central ideals that prescribe what is right and
wrong. There is an obligation to uphold laws and rules.
Most members of society remain at stage 4 development
where morality is still dictated from outside forces. Children
at this stage know about rules and laws and they have a
more elaborate awareness about why social order is
necessary.