Kohlberg's theories are a stage theory of moral development proposed by Lawrence Kohlberg. They suggest that individuals progress through different levels and stages as they develop morally.
Kohlberg's theories, particularly his theory of moral development, fall under the cognitive-developmental perspective. He postulated that moral reasoning evolves through a series of stages as cognitive abilities mature.
Kohlberg's most notable research involved longitudinal studies using moral dilemmas, like the "Heinz dilemma," to assess moral reasoning. His findings led him to propose three levels of moral developmentStudy and Research Findings: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.