Postconventional Reasoning and Moral Education in Japan

Sixty‐three American and 52 Japanese adults were interviewed to identify their moral stages. They were further interviewed with both the original and situationally modified versions of the Heinz dilemma, to study their attitudes to situational factors. Analysis of their responses revealed: (1) 16 American and 15 Japanese subjects were postconventional reasoners, providing substantial evidence of postconventional stages as adult stages and (2) the majority of American postconventional subjects consistently chose Heinz’ stealing the drug for his dying wife. In contrast, most Japanese postconventional reasoners were consistently against that option. Although both American and Japanese postconventional reasoners were well aware of the fundamental value and preciousness of human life, the ways to secure that preciousness differed: the former trying to make it longer, the latter trying to make it purer and cleaner. Such cultural differences in action choices, and their supporting reasoning, suggest a need for examination of the conception of postconventional stages.