Five-year-old Johnny stole a piece of candy from the grocery store. Because he was not punished for stealing the candy, he believes it is okay to steal again. Johnny is in which stage of moral development?

• A. Preconventional
• B. Conventional
• C. Postconventional
• D. Preoperational

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context: Johnny is a five-year-old child who stole candy and was not punished, leading him to believe stealing is acceptable.
2. Identify the key concept: The problem is asking about stages of moral development, which is a theory proposed by Lawrence Kohlberg.
3. Review Kohlberg's stages of moral development: There are three main levels - Preconventional, Conventional, and Postconventional.
4. Focus on the Preconventional level: This level is typical for young children and is characterized by an understanding of right and wrong based on personal consequences, such as punishment or reward.
5. Relate Johnny's behavior to the Preconventional stage: Since Johnny's belief that stealing is okay is based on the absence of punishment, it aligns with the Preconventional stage, where moral reasoning is based on direct consequences.