Heinz Dilemma - Kohlberg's stages of Moral Development (Interactive Animation)

Instructions:
Due to the deactivation of the annotations the video doesn’t work as it meant to be. When the question and the possible answers appears you can click on the links below to see your moral stage:

Heinz should steal the drug, and not go to prison as this is unfair: 2:31

Heinz should not steal the drug since he would be breaking the law: 1:37

Heinz should steal the drug, and accept any prison sentence: 2:02

Heinz dilemma was conceived by Lawrence Kohlberg in its original research on the stages of moral development in the '70.

Featured among others on:

BrainPickings

The Atlantic

[RiversBliss]

Steal the drug and plead insanity that the voices made him do it

[Koriyama]

"What should Heinz do?" The language here is flawed. There are three choices given but only two action choices. The consequence of the theft action are not in the hands of the perpetrator making the choice meaningless. Better would be to ask, "Of these three situations, which is morally most acceptable?" Those who choose the right-hand action may choose that based on a knowledge of what actually happens in the world, not based on what should happen in Heinz's case.

[siempje]

Option 1: 1:37
Option 2: 2:02
Option 3: 2:32

[generico]

You know what, I don't need to make this decision since health insurance is mandatory in the Netherlands and cancer medication is always covered.

[almah]

I really think that the choices Heiz has and the steps of moral development are brought into relation falsely in this video.

[darkworld]

I clicked the 3rd option but the video stopped. Does that mean I'm an idiot?

[spymoopingovaltine]

That moment when you're on the phone.

[Smokie]

Well I think people do not always want to live. Have a long talk with the wife and see what she wants... Its not about what Heinz wants but what does both of them want. I would go to the bank and get the money. If bank says no I would steal it and take any jail sentence because jail is temporary and death is permanent.
But ultimately I think depends on what the wife wants. If she has accepted her fate I would be by her side till the time comes. If she wants to live I would get the medicine one way or another.
That's what i would do. On mobile and interactive video doesn't work.

[hoytmueller]

A law that would prevent you from saving your wife is a law that is not worth following. Going to jail for breaking an unjust law is wrong. Taking the drug and avoiding jail is the right thing to do.

[tara]

What? This is not an accurate portrayal of the Heinz dilemma. It wasn't about the choice, it was about the reasoning behind the choice.

[salampeacemyfantasy]

This video saved me today! Im doing my psychology development exam in two hours lol.. thanks a lot!!!

[kristinaplays]

I chose the last option because the first option seems illogical. How can he decide if he goes to jail or not? That's the way laws are set up, and there's nothing I can do about it, nor him.
Although I shouldn't agree that he should accept any sentance, I'd rather there'd be an option for him to loan the money of a bank. Honestly I don't think it should be up to him at all, in my country (Sweden) noone gets refused treatment on the basis that the drug that can save someone is too expensive. You don't have to pay for meds here like that anyway, the most you can pay is 350$ for meds and 150$ for medical care (seeing the doctor, therapist, etc etc). The rest is payed by tax money. No surgery to save your life or cancer treatment is ever had to be payed by the individual, rather the society as a whole.

[godslaya]

Heinz cannot choose because he's seeing this video in his phone

[josharias]

ok for those of you who do not understand this and like to complain about how "dumb" this is just keep in mind that this is just defining stages of moral development. It is not important which one you choose what is important is WHY you choose it. If you choose a lower stage one that does not mean your a bad person or a scummy person it just means you are at that stage This was NOT developed to insult others or put others down or so others can try to achieve the last level of the last stage although hopefully one day you will reach it but again its NOT bad if you don't its perfectly fine if you don't. The reason that it may be "propaganda" to some of you is because its not made to emphasize the cruelty of the world or try to win you over to think a certain way. This was simply made to clarify and classify the thinking of individuals and by emphasizes a few characteristics or situations however "unreal" it may be it is amde simply to make it easier to understand NOT for propoganda.

[stevenmueller]

The interactive aspect no longer works :(, please fix. I always enjoyed doing this video with my class.

[alfredkaizirege]

The Law is the Law and Morals are Law's are made by what ever authority reigning or ruling over you, but men have/should have their own Moral compass.

[kvothe]

I chose the last option, just because it would suck to be on the run for life, but also because I'm going to gamble and hope that the judge would be lenient on me after i present my well rehearsed explanation/sob story. ;D lol

[LeeBGood]

nice production value, but poor representation of the science

[TheVinster]

This really doesn't make any sense. They're trying to say you are more morally developed if you say he should steal and not go to jail. But that's not really an option in the world. If we have that kind of power over this situation, I'd say the company should be more concerned with saving lives than profit. 

[StevenWillmy]

No.  All three decisions could be justified by any of the systems of morality.