Which of the following is a common criticism some psychologists have regarding Lawrence Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning?

• A. It focuses exclusively on emotional responses rather than cognitive processes.
• B. It suggests that moral reasoning is fully developed by early childhood.
• C. It does not adequately account for cultural and gender differences in moral development.
• D. It was developed entirely through animal studies rather than human research.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the core of Kohlberg's theory, which emphasizes stages of moral reasoning based on cognitive development rather than emotional responses.
2. Step 2: Recognize that Kohlberg proposed moral reasoning develops through a series of stages that continue beyond early childhood, often into adolescence and adulthood.
3. Step 3: Identify common criticisms of Kohlberg's theory, particularly that it may not fully consider cultural and gender differences in how people develop moral reasoning.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the options given by comparing them to known critiques: the theory is not focused exclusively on emotions, nor is it based on animal studies, and it does not claim moral reasoning is complete in early childhood.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the most widely accepted criticism is that Kohlberg's theory does not adequately account for cultural and gender variations in moral development.