What is the name of the theory that describes three levels: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional?

• A. Kohlberg’s theory of moral development
• B. Gilligan’s ethics of care
• C. Bioethics
• D. Virtue Ethics

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is recognizing a well-known model of how moral reasoning develops in stages. This model, proposed by Lawrence Kohlberg, explains three levels of moral reasoning: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional, with each level containing increasingly sophisticated justifications for right and wrong.

In the preconventional level, a person reasons about morality based on personal consequences—obeying to avoid punishment or to gain rewards. In the conventional level, moral reasoning centers on conforming to social rules and seeking acceptance or respect within the group. In the postconventional level, reasoning shifts to abstract principles and universal rights, even if they conflict with laws or social norms.

This framework helps explain how nurses and other professionals move from rule-following to evaluating ethical issues through broader principles, which is why it’s commonly taught in nursing ethics and professional development.

Other options refer to different ideas: Gilligan’s ethics of care emphasizes relationships and care in moral reasoning; Bioethics is the broader field of ethical issues in medicine and research; Virtue Ethics focuses on character and virtues rather than stage-based reasoning. The name that specifically describes the three levels and stages is Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.