Stage Acquisition and Stage Use

This paper evaluates two developmental perspectives on moral reasoning. While their interpretations differ, both perspectives use stage displacement models to depict moral development. These perspectives assume that as ontogenesis proceeds, the role played by earlier acquired moral stages becomes increasingly insignificant in comparison with the role played by more advanced stages. The discussion argues that the use of displacement models inhibits an adequate integration and understanding of the research findings on moral development. A nondisplacement perspective is outlined to correct for this deficiency.