"a child decides to steal a small item from a neighborhood store in order to be accepted into the hawk club. the child reasons that the stealing behavior is acceptable because it is what his friends expect of him. according to kohlberg, this child is operating at the level."

The correct answer is the conventional level.

According to Kohlberg's theory of moral development, the conventional level of development refers to second level of moral development. At this level, a child's understanding of what's "good" or "bad is defined by the moral standards of authority figures or individuals children aspire to gain approval from.