When I take the boys to the doctor, my favorite part of the experience is the chart. You know which one I mean. They measure and weigh and bingo, you get a little dot on a chart that says, “Your child’s height ranks in the 95th percentile compared with other kids his age.” Whoo hoo! My kid is awesome!
Now I know that the real point of these tests is to catch medical problems early, not to give parents yet another reason to brag on or stress over their kid, but it’s still fun. Why should doctors get all the cool progress charts? I collected the work of psychological and moral development experts like Piaget and Kohlberg, and synthesized it into something easy to remember.
Warning: If you are looking for scientific rigor, you will be sadly disappointed. This is about collecting wisdom and packaging it for easy recall.
Level 1: Pre-Conventional (Infant-Toddler)
- Icon: The Sun – because everything revolves around me. The sun can be warm or harsh.
- Mental Milestones: Self-awareness, object permanence
- Moral Milestones: Trust – Is the world a safe place?
- Catchphrase: “Mine!” “I didn’t do it.”
- Motivated by: Intuitive self-interest, curiosity
- Avoids: pain, frustration
Level 2: Conventional (Child)
- Icon: Police Officer – because they’re here to enforce the rules. Officers can be helpful or annoying.
- Mental Milestones: Autonomy, Imagination/Logic
- Moral Milestones: Empathy – If that were me, how would I feel?
- Catchphrase: “You’re gonna get in trouble!” “It’s not fair!” “I’m a good boy/girl”
- Motivated by: rules, authority, fairness
- Avoids: punishment, guilt
Level 3: Abstract (Teen)
- Icon: Wolf – because it’s all about the pack. Wolfpacks can be a safe haven, or they can be stifling.
- Mental Milestone: abstract thinking
- Moral Milestone: identity/fidelity
- What I’m learning: Who am I? What kind of person will I be?
- Catchphrase: “Whatever” “What would a ________ do?”
- Motivated by: family and friends, social contract
- Avoids: shame, isolation
Level 4: Synthetic (College-Adult)
- Symbol: Compass – Neither rigid nor changeable, the synthetic individual applies internalized principles to unique situations.
- Mental Milestone: Ideology, Intimacy
- Moral Milestone: Integrity – owning your beliefs for yourself
- Catchphrase: “You may be right” “Here I stand”
- Motivated by: Internalized principles, Self-actualization
- Avoids: Dissonance
Level 5?
- Transcendence: seeing the reality behind the symbol
- Universalizing: see thing the Truth behind a truth
