--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem of moral change would appear…" description: "\"The problem of moral change would appear to be one of presenting stimuli which are both sufficiently incongruous as to stimulate conflict in the child'..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png" --- # The problem of moral change would appear to be one of… ![“The problem of moral change would appear to be one of presenting stimuli which are both sufficiently incongruous as to stimulate conflict in the child's existing stage schemata and sufficiently congruous as to be assimilable with some accomodative effort.” quote by Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png) > “The problem of moral change would appear to be one of presenting stimuli which are both sufficiently incongruous as to stimulate conflict in the child's existing stage schemata and sufficiently congruous as to be assimilable with some accomodative effort.” [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral growth requires presenting children with challenging yet understandable dilemmas to stimulate cognitive restructuring. **In simple terms:** Moral change needs balanced challenges. Key Takeaway Provide thought‑provoking, relatable dilemmas. Themes moral development education cognitive conflict Mood thoughtful analytical Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - classroom debates - ethical workshops - parental guidance Key Concepts psychology developmental theory constructivism Questions to Reflect On - How can you design age‑appropriate moral dilemmas? - What balance of conflict and familiarity aids learning? A Different Perspective Too abstract for practical use without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Conflict Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict-child-4181541/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Moral Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-change-264765/) [Presenting Stimuli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presenting-stimuli-4181542/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-moral-2000467/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Sufficiently Incongruous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sufficiently-incongruous-4181540/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [The Christian faith, simply stated, reminds us that our fundamental problem is not moral; rather, our fundamental problem is spiritual. It is not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/the-christian-faith-simply-stated-reminds-us-that-our-fundamental/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“conversion means a religious and moral change in man, by which he gives up his sinful ways and learns to know, love, and serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/conversion-means-a-religious-and-moral-change-in-man-by-which-he/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“You have no compelling moral intuitions to guide you in solving that problem. Your moral feelings are attached to frames, to descriptions of reality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/you-have-no-compelling-moral-intuitions-to-guide-you-in-solving-that/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The sanguine assurance that men and nations can be legislated into goodness, that pressure from without is equivalent to a moral change within, needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-sanguine-assurance-that-men-and-nations-can-be-legislated-into/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Not more certain is it that it is something outside the thermometer that produces a change in the thermometer, than it is something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-drummond/not-more-certain-is-it-that-it-is-something-outside-the-thermometer/) [Henry Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-drummond/) > [As we try to make the financial system safer, we must inevitably confront the problem of moral hazard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/as-we-try-to-make-the-financial-system-safer-we-must-inevitably/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [That is the gay agenda...it is the recreation of society on a different moral foundation and the problem with that is that moral foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lively/that-is-the-gay-agenda-it-is-the-recreation-of-society-on-a-different/) [Scott Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lively/) > [“Has it ever befallen you, my readers, to become suddenly aware that your conception of things has altered — as though every object in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/has-it-ever-befallen-you-my-readers-to-become-suddenly-aware-that/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Conflict isn't negative, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## 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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-individual-makes-a-clear-effort-to-define-moral-values-and/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [In our society, authority derives from justice, and in our society, learning to live with authority should derive from and aid learning to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/in-our-society-authority-derives-from-justice-and-in-our-society/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/it-seems-obvious-that-moral-stages-must-primarily-be-the-products-of/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [Although it may be true that the notion of teaching virtues such as honesty or integrity arouses little controversy, it is also true that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/although-it-may-be-true-that-the-notion-of-teaching-virtues-such-as/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-unit-of-effectiveness-of-education-is-not-the-individual-but-the/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [These youngsters hold that all morality is relative but that middle class morality is just plain bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/these-youngsters-hold-that-all-morality-is-relative-but-that-middle/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [The arguments about parents being too permissive and kids growing up without superegos are not based on fact. Our research tells us that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-arguments-about-parents-being-too-permissive-and-kids-growing-up/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/insofar-as-each-of-us-has-been-through-the-moral-stages-and-has-held/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [The crowds, the praise, and the power are neither just nor unjust in themselves. As they are typically used in the schools, they represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-crowds-the-praise-and-the-power-are-neither-just-nor-unjust-in/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [At this level, the individual perceives the maintenance of the expectations of his family, group, or nation as valuable in its own right, regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/at-this-level-the-individual-perceives-the-maintenance-of-the/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [If I can see my own recollections, like many adolescents, I was a Platonic realist. I believed in the reality of ideas, of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/if-i-can-see-my-own-recollections-like-many-adolescents-i-was-a/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [If our psychology seems crude and weak in what it can say about the great human experiences, it is better to make that clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/if-our-psychology-seems-crude-and-weak-in-what-it-can-say-about-the/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [For the first time in human history, there seems to be a radical increase in the proportion reaching principled morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/for-the-first-time-in-human-history-there-seems-to-be-a-radical/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [Piaget is correct in assuming a culturally universal age development of a sense of justice, involving progressive concern for the needs and feelings of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/piaget-is-correct-in-assuming-a-culturally-universal-age-development/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-first-meaning-of-cognitive-for-us-is-that-observations-of-others/) [Lawrence Kohlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) [Explore all 25 Lawrence Kohlberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The problem of moral change would appear to be one of presenting stimuli which are both sufficiently incongruous as to stimulate conflict in the child's existing stage schemata and sufficiently congruous as to be assimilable with some accomodative effort.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Kohlberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear-to-be-one-of-presenting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear-to-be-one-of-presenting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eac/lawrence-kohlberg-23774_change_the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear_2909376.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem of moral change would appear to be one of presenting stimuli which are both sufficiently…” — Lawrence Kohlberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lawrence Kohlberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kohlberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The problem of moral change would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear-to-be-one-of-presenting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kohlberg/the-problem-of-moral-change-would-appear-to-be-one-of-presenting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```