Which description best matches conventional morality?

• A. Based on obedience to authority
• B. Focus on personal gain
• C. Emphasizes laws and social norms to maintain social order
• D. Emphasizes universal ethical principles

Answer: (C)

Conventional morality centers on following the laws and social norms that keep society orderly. People at this level view rules and shared expectations as essential to social harmony, judging actions by how well they conform to those norms and how they are perceived by others. So describing conventional morality as emphasizing laws and social norms to maintain social order fits best because it highlights the importance of societal rules and collective expectations in guiding behavior.

This differs from a focus on obedience to authority, which emphasizes following directives from an individual in a position of power rather than internalized social norms; or a focus on personal gain, which centers on self-interest. It also differs from universal ethical principles, which involve abstract, principled standards that apply beyond specific laws or norms.