At which stage of cognitive and moral development does a child primarily make decisions based on the consequences of actions, such as avoiding punishment or seeking rewards?

A child primarily makes decisions based on the consequences of actions during the pre-conventional level of moral development, which is the first stage in Lawrence Kohlberg's theory. At this stage, children focus on the direct outcomes of their actions, like avoiding punishment or gaining rewards. For example, a child may choose not to hit a sibling because they fear being scolded by a parent, or they might share a toy to receive praise. Their reasoning is very self-centered, as they are concerned mainly with how their actions will affect themselves. This stage is crucial because it lays the foundation for understanding rules and consequences in later stages of moral reasoning.