Ourselves Quote by Lawrence Kohlberg

“Insofar as each of us has been through the moral stages and has held the viewpoint of each stage, we should be able to put ourselves in the internal framework of a given stage.” quote by Lawrence Kohlberg — Download Open image

“Insofar as each of us has been through the moral stages and has held the viewpoint of each stage, we should be able to put ourselves in the internal framework of a given stage.”

Lawrence Kohlberg

About This Quote

Source Book: Moral Development Theory, Lawrence Kohlberg, 1981

Understanding each moral stage requires empathy to view the world through that stage’s perspective.

In simple terms: Put yourself in others’ moral viewpoints.

Key Takeaway

Practice perspective‑taking.

Themes

moral development empathy psychology

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical educational

When to use this quote

education
conflict mediation
parenting
leadership training

Key Concepts

stage theory ethical reasoning

Questions to Reflect On

Which stage do you identify with?
How can you empathize with a different stage?

A Different Perspective

People may resist seeing beyond their current stage.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 4.9 out of 5 (3 ratings)

Given Stage Insofar Moral Moral Stages Ourselves Perspective Should Stage Through Us Viewpoint Viewpoint Stage

More by Lawrence Kohlberg

The individual makes a clear effort to define moral values and principles that have validity and application apart from the authority of the groups…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

In our society, authority derives from justice, and in our society, learning to live with authority should derive from and aid learning to understand…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

It seems obvious that moral stages must primarily be the products of the child's interaction with others rather than the direct unfolding of biological…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

Although it may be true that the notion of teaching virtues such as honesty or integrity arouses little controversy, it is also true that…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

The unit of effectiveness of education is not the individual but the group. An individual's moral values are primarily important for society as they…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

These youngsters hold that all morality is relative but that middle class morality is just plain bad.

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

The arguments about parents being too permissive and kids growing up without superegos are not based on fact. Our research tells us that the…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

The crowds, the praise, and the power are neither just nor unjust in themselves. As they are typically used in the schools, they represent…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

At this level, the individual perceives the maintenance of the expectations of his family, group, or nation as valuable in its own right, regardless…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

If I can see my own recollections, like many adolescents, I was a Platonic realist. I believed in the reality of ideas, of the…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

If our psychology seems crude and weak in what it can say about the great human experiences, it is better to make that clear…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

For the first time in human history, there seems to be a radical increase in the proportion reaching principled morality.

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

Piaget is correct in assuming a culturally universal age development of a sense of justice, involving progressive concern for the needs and feelings of…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

The first meaning of 'cognitive' for us is that observations of others are made phenomenologically: i.e., by attempting to take the role of the…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

Essentially, social education is moral education, and moral education is preparation for citizenship... When Jefferson and others advocated public education, it was to prepare…

Lawrence Kohlberg

Image

Explore all 25 Lawrence Kohlberg quotes

More Ourselves quotes

If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…

Maya Angelou

Image

Our whole thing was that we wanted to challenge ourselves and go out of the box that everyone else was doing, and even what…

B-Real

Image

In Free, we managed ourselves, and it was too tough for us to handle all of what that entailed when we got to touring…

Paul Rodgers

Image

If we believe that a person seeking refuge is to be pitied, feared, despised, and looked down upon, we are doing ourselves a disservice.

Clemantine Wamariya

Image

What we prefer to do is operate our investment bank in a way that is like what investment banks used to be, which is…

Warren Stephens

Image

Kids are pretty resilient. You don't have to be at every volleyball game. We can't guilt ourselves.

Ursula Burns

Image

We Brits are law abiding folk. We pride ourselves on our natural tendency to form an orderly queue rather than a scrum.

Nick Boles

Image

We immerse ourselves in escapist mass entertainment, such as 'reality T.V.' programs. We support fanatical politicians and preachers. Our politicians, in turn, support dictators…

Brendan Myers

Image

There's something about the superheroes and the idea behind their relationship with humans, whether it's a metaphor for the better part of ourselves, or…

Clark Gregg