Toddlers and their frontal cortices, continue to develop rather quickly over a period of months as any parent can tell us, into the four year olds who become increasingly aware of others and thus capable of interactive play.
I watch this miracle play out.
Sigh, such are the many reasons I adore three year olds and have so much respect and sympathy for the parents of three year olds.
Sadly and dangerously for all of us, Mr Trump, it seems, skipped a few steps in development.
You’re likely familiar with Kohlberg’s stages. I’m sure you’ve at least touched on these… Kohlberg followed Piaget only more deeply. Kohlberg’s steps are sequential: one follows the other in growth. Stages cannot be skipped; each provides a new and necessary perspective, differentiated, and. more comprehensive than its predecessors, but integrated. And while I’m trying to be as objective as possible in looking at these, I don’t see any growth at all toward steps, three, four, five, six. I would love to have your perspective. But I just see no moral development, and I rarely see him in Step 2.
I see Trump in Stage 1 almost all the time: Stage 1: punishment and obedience orientation. [It’s OK to do it if you don’t get caught.] “ it depends on who he knows on the police force.”
I don’t see Trump going to Stage 2 very often.
Stage 2: instrumental-relativist orientation. [If it feels good do it]. “ if his wife is nice and pretty he should do it.”
He’s trying not to get punished (stage one), and his other modality is “what’s in it for me? stage 2).
Again, as a pediatrician I would love your perspective. I know Kohlberg’s has critics as do all theorists, primarily that is looking at domains and looking up justice to the exclusion of caring. But I don’t think you can reach caring without a sense of being just: ‘what is right what is wrong?’
Also, when, in the context of Piaget, these moral stages are extremely rare to regress in. Once one has reached a high level of moral development. The likelihood of going backwards is very small. So there’s no argument for Trump having been at a high-level and going backwards with stress or some other excuse. I just don’t see him in anything beyond stage two and most of his behaviors in stage one in my opinion.
I’m looking forward to any thoughts or comments you may have.
Toddler indeed.
He exhibits many of the behaviors we expect to see in a three year old: Self-centric POV, tantrums, impatience.
I am a pediatrician.
This would be normal behavior in a toddler.
Sadly it’s a bit extreme for even a toddler.
Further, toddlers
Sorry, inadvertently hit send. Please forgive.
However.
Toddlers and their frontal cortices, continue to develop rather quickly over a period of months as any parent can tell us, into the four year olds who become increasingly aware of others and thus capable of interactive play.
I watch this miracle play out.
Sigh, such are the many reasons I adore three year olds and have so much respect and sympathy for the parents of three year olds.
Sadly and dangerously for all of us, Mr Trump, it seems, skipped a few steps in development.
Powerful view from a Pediatrician. Thank you so much for writing this.
Hi a Doc Reads.
You’re likely familiar with Kohlberg’s stages. I’m sure you’ve at least touched on these… Kohlberg followed Piaget only more deeply. Kohlberg’s steps are sequential: one follows the other in growth. Stages cannot be skipped; each provides a new and necessary perspective, differentiated, and. more comprehensive than its predecessors, but integrated. And while I’m trying to be as objective as possible in looking at these, I don’t see any growth at all toward steps, three, four, five, six. I would love to have your perspective. But I just see no moral development, and I rarely see him in Step 2.
I see Trump in Stage 1 almost all the time: Stage 1: punishment and obedience orientation. [It’s OK to do it if you don’t get caught.] “ it depends on who he knows on the police force.”
I don’t see Trump going to Stage 2 very often.
Stage 2: instrumental-relativist orientation. [If it feels good do it]. “ if his wife is nice and pretty he should do it.”
He’s trying not to get punished (stage one), and his other modality is “what’s in it for me? stage 2).
Again, as a pediatrician I would love your perspective. I know Kohlberg’s has critics as do all theorists, primarily that is looking at domains and looking up justice to the exclusion of caring. But I don’t think you can reach caring without a sense of being just: ‘what is right what is wrong?’
Also, when, in the context of Piaget, these moral stages are extremely rare to regress in. Once one has reached a high level of moral development. The likelihood of going backwards is very small. So there’s no argument for Trump having been at a high-level and going backwards with stress or some other excuse. I just don’t see him in anything beyond stage two and most of his behaviors in stage one in my opinion.
I’m looking forward to any thoughts or comments you may have.
Thank you for your advice, Mike.
Continuity is important in our communications.