According to Kohlberg there are three stages in the development of human morality.
Pre-Conventional morals usually apply to infants and very young children. People at this stage decide whether something is right or wrong based on its ability to satisfy their needs for food, water, warmth, physical comfort, or affection. Sadly, some adults still use pre-conventional morality to guide their lives. If you have a friend whose sentences consistently start with "I," you may be dealing with one of these examples.
Conventional morals are what we learn in school and carry into our working lives. Something is good or right if it helps the organization or community function easily and properly. Think of the difference between toddlers who rush for the tray of cookies and fifth graders who have learned to wait in line. The fifth graders' base desires have been foregone to accommodate the need for order and fairness to others.
Post-Conventional morals are outside the realm of possibility for many. They require humans to consider the needs of others for equality and self-expression as importantly as their own. Think of someone being called a "citizen of the world" for instance. The needs considered don't stop at national borders and often demand that the successful functioning of a factory, school, or government be interrupted. Upsetting the apple cart is required, sometimes, for Post-conventional people and the long-term end result will be a more fair and equitable world, hopefully, in their mind.
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