Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The process by which individuals in their teenage years develop their understanding of right and wrong, moral reasoning, and ethical decision-making skills.
Related terms
Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development: A theory that explains the progression of moral reasoning through six stages, from pre-conventional morality to post-conventional morality.
The cognitive process by which individuals make judgments about the rightness or wrongness of actions.
Ethical Decision-Making: The process of evaluating different options based on ethical principles and choosing the most morally appropriate course of action.