En studie om moralisk resonemangsföring

Sammanfattning: This study draws from Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning in an attempt to deduce the respondent’s ability to do moral reasoning. According to Kohlberg’s theory, what is ‘right’ is anchored to what is ‘just’ or ‘fair’. The data collection method chosen for stage deduction were semi-structured interviews about the subject of alcohol, cannabis, and the general legitimacy and authority of the law and the stages were deduced using theory driven thematic analysis. The selection groups chosen were three students from the program of philosophy and societal analysis in Umeå and three students from the police academy in Umeå. According to Kohlberg’s theory, a necessary requirement for moral development is exposure to moral stimulation. This study therefore assumes that the programs expose the two groups to different moral stimulation, and that there is a difference between them in their ability to do moral reasoning. The results conclude that all students of philosophy and one student from the police academy had attained the highest stage measurable (stage5), where what is right is decided based on where the individual finds the equilibrium between personal values and social contracts. The remaining two police students had attained the stage of law-and-order (stage 4), where what is right is anchored in accordance with the law. Because this study is based on qualitative methodology with a participatory number of six students the results lack generalizability and further research is needed to fill the knowledge gap of police and philosophy student’s general ability to do moral reasoning.