Carol Gilligan, “Images of Relationship,’ in May, Applied Ethics, pp. 331-341.

Gilligan maintains that the morality of males is different from that of females. Males view rules and principles as necessary to the continuation of a practice (a game, an art, a science, the making and sustaining of a community). Females, on the other hand, give primary importance to the maintenance of relationships with other people. Gilligan describes male morality as a morality of principles while female morality is a morality of care.

Kohlberg’s stages make male morality the highest form of morality and female morality an intermediate form. Gilligan examines the play of children and interviews with children; she concludes that the morality of females is distinct from that of males. Gilligan does not, however, accept Kohlberg’s view that the morality of principles is higher than the morality of care. Kohlberg’s view may be located closest to a Kantian view of morality.