The individual makes a clear effort to define moral values and principles that have validity and application apart from the authority of the groups of persons holding them and apart from the individual's own identification with the group.

Even though it was considered unusual in his era he decided to study the topic of moral judgment extending Jean Piaget's account of children's moral development from twenty-five years earlier. In social development this leads us to imitate role models we perceive as competent and to look to them for validation. Kohlberg's work reflected and extended not only Piaget's findings but also the theories of philosophers G.

In an empirical study by Haggbloom et al. Kohlberg's work reflected and extended not only Piaget's findings but also the theories of philosophers G. using six criteria such as citations and recognition Kohlberg was found to be the 30th most eminent psychologist of the 20th century.