Albert Bandura also believes that moral development is best understood by considering a combination of social and cognitive factors, especially those involving self-control.
However, stage theories tend to downplay the effect of social learning on the individual and the influence the environment can have in certain situations of moral reasoning.
Bandura argues that in developing a moral self, individuals adopt standards of right and wrong that serve as guides and restraints for conduct.
In this self-regulatory process, people monitor their conduct and the conditions under which it occurs, judge it in relation to moral standards, and regulate their actions by the consequences they apply to themselves.
The social cognitive theory of morality argues that personal values and standards of conduct of each individual arise from many different sources of influence and are maintained by institutional promotion.
It also argues that a broad and dynamic social reality is what governs the adoption of personal values and standards of conduct.
However, it is possible for individuals to defend their actions with different types of moral reasoning, even in the face of participating in hurtful or detrimental behavior.