Ch. 9: Autonomy
Cultural differences in autonomy
- Asian-American adol and parents expect slower pace of autonomy
Postconventional
- adolescent/young adult - most abstract and advanced
Preconventional
- childhood - worrying about punishment/reward
Improvement in decision-making relates to
- decline in extent to which decisions are influenced - improvement in adolescents' ability to control impulses
Critiques of Kohlberg
- elite and educated are included, too far fetched from the real world - few are at postconventional stage - many cultures use different principles such as religion or tradition
Susceptibility to peer influence
- high susceptibility more likely to use drugs/alcohol
Stronger sense of self-reliance relates to
- higher self-esteem - fewer behavior problems - girls feel more self-reliant than boys
Conventional
- late childhood/early adolescence - following societal rules and norms
Gradual process
- self-exploration - responsibility for choices/actions - close family relationships
Emotional autonomy
-increased tension in family
Aspects of decision making
1. Awareness of risks 2. Weighs future consequences 3. Reliance on consultants 4. Caution in taking advice from biased others 5. Revise attitudes to adjust to new info
Kohlberg's three levels of moral reasoning
1. Preconventional 2. Conventional 3. Postconventional
Self-determination theory
3 universal psychological needs required for optimal adolescent development: - competence - autonomy - relatedness
Domains of autonomy
Emotional Behavioral Cognitive
Is Kohlberg's theory correct?
Studies have confirmed it; moral reasoning becomes more principled over the course of childhood and adolescence
Changes in decision-making abilities
Teens able to make better decisions with time
Behavioral autonomy
capacity to make autonomous decisions about behavior and being accountable for one's actions
Cognitive autonomy
changes in beliefs, opinions, and values - rooted in general principles - founded in own values
Moral behavior
does not always match moral reasoning - contextual influence how a person acts when facing moral dilemmas
Parental conflicts arise due to
expectations which influence the pacing of autonomy development
Autonomy
expression of independence; individual's capacity to behave on their own
Peer pressure
gets stronger over adolescence - younger teens more susceptible - defenses against peer pressure improve
Social-cognitive development
increase individuation
Conflict peaks during
mid-adolescence and then decreases in later adolescence
Authoritative parenting
more influenced by positive peers
Authoritarian/Permissive parenting
most easily influenced by peers
De-idealization
realize parents can make mistake
Individuation
research shows this to be more of a gradual process
