Empirical evidence has demonstrated the validity and reliability of moral development
instruments such as the Defining Issues Test (DIT) and Moral Judgment
Test (MJT). Rasch item reliability for each was .95. A newer instrument generated
using the Model of Hierarchical Complexity had item reliability of .97.
Rasch scores of responses to each instruments’ items correlated well with the
items’ measure of hierarchical complexity, r = .286, .372, .557, .767. Test items
used to measure moral reasoning were significantly correlated. In general, stage
of moral development did not predict political affiliation or voting, supporting
Kohlberg’s claim that structure, not content, underlies stage.