In Lawrence Kohlberg's theory, children in the ____ stage of moral development are primarily concerned with adhering to rules to avoid punishment and gain rewards.

In Lawrence Kohlberg's theory, children in the pre-conventional stage of moral development focus mainly on following rules to avoid punishment and to receive rewards. At this stage, their understanding of right and wrong is based on the consequences of their actions rather than any deeper moral reasoning. For example, a child might not hit their sibling because they fear being scolded by their parents, rather than because they understand that hitting is wrong. This stage shows how children view rules as important for their own safety and benefit, rather than for the sake of fairness or justice. Overall, the pre-conventional stage highlights how young children think about morality in very concrete terms.