Science & Technology / Psychology & Cognitive Studies / Developmental & Educational Psychology

Why Women’s Morality Was Called 'Immature' – The Shocking Truth About Psychological Theory

In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development

Carol Gilligan

Carol Gilligan’s groundbreaking book, 'In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development', reveals a hidden bias in psychology that has labeled women’s moral reasoning as inferior. For decades, theories like Kohlberg’s stages of moral development were based solely on male samples, judging women’s focus on relationships and care as a failure to mature. Gilligan’s research shows two distinct moral voices: the 'ethic of justice' (rules, rights) and the 'ethic of care' (responsibility, connection). Discover how a simple test with 11-year-olds Jack and Amy exposes this bias, and why women’s psychological crisis in adolescence—where they silence themselves to fit in—is a call for a new understanding of maturity. This video unpacks the core insights, including the three-stage development of care ethics, and why true maturity combines both justice and care. Watch to see how psychology got it wrong and what it means for all of us.