Gilligan - Theory of Women's Moral Development

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

• Purpose of Carol Gilligan’s theory

  • Gilligan proposed a response to earlier moral-development research (attributed here to Lawrence Kohlberg).
  • Earlier work largely studied young men and suggested women were inferior, using male-based benchmarks for moral development.

• Kohlberg’s framework (as presented)

  • Kohlberg identified six stages of moral reasoning.
  • Each stage differs in how the self relates to society.
  • When applied to women, Kohlberg found women “almost never” progressed beyond Stage 3 (as described in the subtitles).

• Stage 3 in Kohlberg’s model (as described)

  • Called “interpersonally normative morality.”
  • People conform to what is widely perceived as good through relationships with others.
  • For women to go beyond it, they would need to be challenged by a moral problem that causes them to see beyond existing relationship-based norms.

• Gilligan’s key finding: “feminine voice” and different moral orientation

  • Gilligan identifies a different moral reasoning perspective for women:
    • An ethic of care (contrasted with an ethic of justice).
  • This is used to explain why women might not fit Kohlberg’s “ladder” in the same way.

• Gilligan’s theory: research basis and structure

  • Published in 1977.
  • Based on research involving 29 women making a decision about abortion (presented as a context with strong personal choice).
  • Gilligan argues that conventions shaping moral judgment differ between women and men.
  • The theory includes:
    • Three levels of moral development
    • Two transitions between levels

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Methodology / instructional sequence (three-level model with transitions)

The subtitles present a step-by-step progression using example women at each level.

Level 1: Orientation to individual survival

• Core focus
  • Moral decision-making centers on the self and personal survival needs.
• Example (Sarah)
  • Sarah is 18.
  • Her decision about abortion is centered on:
    • selfish desires
    • finishing school
    • not wanting the baby
• Transition required to reach Level 2
  • First transition (“from selfishness to responsibility”)
    • The person seeks another moral option that involves:
      • understanding decisions as right/wrong for society
      • moving beyond “what I want / don’t want”

Level 2: Goodness as self-sacrifice

• Core focus
  • Survival becomes tied to social participation.
  • Judgment relies on group norms and expectations.
  • Decisions are shaped by:
    • concern for conflict affecting others
    • avoiding harm to others
• Example (June)
  • June is 24.
  • Her decision shifts from personal wants to how the decision affects others.
  • After deciding to get an abortion, she avoids full responsibility and places it on peers, framing it as a kind of sacrifice to please others.
• Transition required to reach Level 3
  • Second transition
    • The person must question:
      • why they feel compelled to place others’ needs before their own
    • Moral evaluation must include:
      • their own needs
      • care and concern
    • The goal is to move from an external, other-focused framing to a more integrated moral stance.

Level 3: Morality of non-violence

• Core focus
  • The strict divide between selfishness vs. responsibility dissolves.
  • The person asserts moral equality between self and others.
  • Care becomes a universal obligation.
  • Non-violence becomes a guiding moral principle for judgment and action.
• Example (Megan)
  • Megan is 29.
  • She develops a transformed understanding of self:
    • recognition of her own power to choose among competing options
    • keeping her own needs within moral alternatives (not excluding them)

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Conclusions and critiques mentioned

• Gilligan’s overall conclusion (as stated)

  • Men and women may frame moral judgment differently via:
    • an ethic of care
    • an ethic of justice
  • Women’s moral development is described as emphasizing:
    • interdependence
    • intimacy and care
    • the importance of judgment and action, with care as central.

• Ongoing research and expansion

  • The theory has been criticized as too limiting because of its focus on women.
  • Research has expanded over ~40 years to include both men and women.
  • The subtitles note that more research is needed to determine:
    • whether the levels are “correct”
    • how strongly they influence male and female moral development

• Applications in education and student life (as presented)

  • Other theorists have used these concepts in studying male/female undergraduates in contexts such as:
    • counseling
    • residence life
    • career planning
    • service learning
    • student organizations
    • leadership development

• Final stated takeaway

  • Gilligan argues for an expanded developmental theory that helps explain adult moral conceptions for both sexes, including the precursors that shape moral development.

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Speakers / sources featured (as stated in subtitles)

• Carol Gilligan
• Lawrence Kohlberg (referred to as “Lawrence Colberg” in the subtitles)

Example subjects / case illustrations used by the speaker

• Sarah (18, abortion decision; Level 1)
• June (24, abortion decision; Level 2)
• Megan (29, abortion decision; Level 3)