The Heinz Dilemma is used to explore stages in Kohlberg's theory.

• A. Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
• B. Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
• C. Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development
• D. Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

Answer: (A)

Moral reasoning as people mature is what this item examines. The Heinz dilemma is a classic scenario designed to reveal the justification someone uses for a moral choice, not just the choice itself. Kohlberg's theory argues that we progress through a sequence of stages of moral reasoning, grouped into three levels, and the way a person justifies their decision places them at a particular stage. This dilemma tends to trigger reasoning that moves from concerns about personal consequences and self-interest, through adherence to social rules, to the use of universal ethical principles. That focus on how people reason about moral conflicts, and how that reasoning changes with development, is exactly what Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development is built to study, which is why it’s the best match. Other theorists—Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky—address different aspects of development, such as cognitive rules about fairness, psychosocial crises, or social and cultural influences, rather than a stage-based account of moral justification.