| Level (approximate age) | Focus | Example |
|---|
| Preconventional morality (before age 9) | Self-interest; obey rules to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards. | “If you save your dying wife, you’ll be a hero.” |
| Conventional morality (early adolescence) | Uphold laws and rules to gain social approval or maintain social order. | “If you steal the drug for her, everyone will think you’re a criminal.” |
| Postconventional morality (adolescence and beyond) | Actions reflect belief in basic rights and self-defined ethical principles. | “People have a right to live.” |