Although we often use the words autonomy and independence interchangeably, in the study of adolescence, they mean slightly different things. Independence refers to individuals’ capacity to behave on their own.
The growth of independence is surely a part of becoming autonomous during adolescence, but autonomy has emotional and cognitive as well as behavioral components. In other words, autonomy is not just about acting independently—it is also about feeling independent and thinking for oneself.
The development of independent behavior begins
Although early childhood and adolescence are important periods for the development of autonomy, issues of autonomy are
not resolved once and for all upon reaching young adulthood. Questions about being able to function independently arise whenever individuals find themselves in positions that demand a new degree of self-reliance. Following a divorce, someone who has depended on a spouse for economic support, guidance, or nurturance must find a way to function more independently. During late adulthood, autonomy may become a significant concern of someone who, after losing a spouse, suddenly finds it necessary to depend on others for assistance and support.
all of these:
1] the establishment of more adultlike and less childish close relationships
with family members and peers
2] the aspect of independence related to changes in the individual's close relationships, especially with parents
the capacity to make independent decisions and follow through on them
cognitive autonomy [sometimes called value autonomy]
the establishment of an independent set of values, opinions, and beliefs
in psychoanalytic theory, the process through which adolescents sever emotional detachments to their parents or other authority figures
the progressive sharpening of an individual's sense of being an autonomous, independent person
Individuation, which begins during infancy and continues into
The development of emotional autonomy is a long process, beginning early in adolescence and continuing into
Adolescents’ feelings of connectedness to their parents often decline in early adolescence, when bickering is more frequent, but increase in
late adolescence after this temporary period of heightened squabbling is over
parenting that attempts to control the adolescent's emotions and opinions
The maturation of basic cognitive abilities is complete at around
behaviors intended to help others
preconventional moral reasoning
the first level of moral reasoning, which is typical of children and is characterized by reasoning that is based on rewards and punishments associated with different courses of action
conventional moral reasoning
the second level of moral development, which occurs during late childhood and early adolescence and is characterized by reasoning that is based on the rules and conventions of society. Conventional responses begin to appear during preadolescence and continue into middle adolescence
postconventional moral reasoning [sometimes called principled moral reasoning]
the level of moral reasoning during which society's rules and conventions are seen as relative and subjective rather than as authoritative. It emerges sometime during the adolescent or young adult years. Postconventional reasoning does not appear until late adolescence, if at all. Although not all individuals enter a stage of postconventional thinking during adolescence, many begin to place greater emphasis on abstract values and moral principles
rationalizing immoral behavior as legitimate, as a way of justifying one's own bad acts
involvement in political and community affairs, as reflected in knowledge about politics and current affairs, participation in conventional and alternative political activities, and engaging in community service
the process of learning through involvement in community service
religious development has two main components
religiosity and spirituality
the degree to which one engages in religious practices, like attending services
the degree to which one places an importance on the quest for answers to questions about God and the meaning of life
religiosity may be more important for
identity development, since it involves the identification of oneself with a particular religious group and its practices and beliefs [not unlike identifying oneself with a particular ethnic group], whereas spirituality may be more closely linked to the development of cognitive autonomy, since it involves the development of a personal meaning system, self-awareness, and certain values. For most religious adolescents, religiosity and spirituality are deeply interconnected
what three main categories undergo changes that affect the development of adolescent autonomy?
biological, social, and cognitive
puberty drives the adolescent away from exclusive emotional dependence on
the ___ changes of adolescence provide the foundation for changes in thinking about social, moral, and ethical problems
which of the following are signs of emotional autonomy?
all of these:
1] adolescents are able to interact with their parents as people
2] older adolescents no longer run to their parents when they are upset
3] adolescents may be more attached to a girlfriend or boyfriend than their parents
which of the following early psychoanalytic thinkers influenced our understanding of emotional autonomy?
adolescents who are better able to balance autonomy and connectedness in their relationships with parents are also better able to balance __ and ___ in their friendship and romantic relationships
which of the following is the indicator of emotional autonomy?
adolescents depend less on their parents to fix their problems
which of the following statements about parent-child relationships in adolescence is true?
adolescents who become independently autonomous but feel distant from their parents score poorly on measures of psychological adjustment
which of the following characterizes an autonomous adolescent?
adolescents who do not feel good about themselves and who have very intrusive parents are especially vulnerable to
Amber's mom is overcontrolling to the point of trying to control Amber's emotions. Amber's mom is exerting ___ control
which of the following parenting styles is most effective for supporting emotional autonomy in adolescence?
authoritarian parents may inadvertently maintain the ___ of childhood by failing to give their children sufficient practice in making decisions and being responsible for their actions
in both ___ and ___ families, the youngsters do not acquire adequate standards for behavior
with age, adolescents are ___ likely to consider both the risks and benefits associated with the decisions that they make
during __ adolescence, individuals are more drawn to the potential benefits of a decision than the potential costs
which of the following may influence risky adolescent decision makings?
all of these:
1] immature impulse control
2] heightened reward sensitivity
in terms of decision-making abilities, which of the following are characteristic of adolescents?
all of these:
1] they are less likely than adults to think about the long-term implications of their decisions
2] they are more likely than adults to focus on immediate consequences
3] they are less able than adults to understand
the ways in which other people's positions might bias their interests
which adolescent would be most susceptible to peer pressure?
related to peer pressure, studies of delinquency reveal that antisocial behavior is most often committed by
one explanation as to why young adolescents are more susceptible to peer influence is because of their
heightened orientation toward social stimuli
adolescents from single-parent families would likely be ___ susceptible to peer pressure than their peers who live with both parents
brain research on neural influences on peer pressure indicate that the development of ___ is a key aspect of positive development in adolescence
the __ parenting style is most beneficial to the development of healthy behavioral autonomy
it is ___ parents, rather than __ peers that is potentially harmful
detachment from; attachment to
what changes in political thinking are likely as young people progress from early adolescence to late adolescence
it will become less rigid
which of the following are prosocial acts?
honesty, kindness, and sharing
___ moral reasoning focuses on how an individual's behavior will be judged by others
proponents of mandatory community service for all students argue that service activities help young people to
develop concern for the community
some studies show that rates of identity ___ are higher among religious adolescents
which of the following are characteristics of adolescents who function at a higher level of moral reasoning?
all of these:
1] more likely to engage in political protests
2] less likely to cheat
3] more likely to volunteer their time
the dominant theoretical viewpoint in the study of moral reasoning is grounded in ___'d s theory
religious adolescents are ___ compared to their peers
all of these:
1] less likely to engage in delinquency
2] less likely to use drugs
___ are a time when many individuals reexamine and reevaluate the beliefs and values they grew up with
individuals who score high on moral reasoning are likely to
all of these:
1] have higher levels of sympathy and empathy than their peers
2] engage in more prosocial behaviors than their peers
3] engage in service activities
which type of autonomy typically develops latest in adolescent?
which of the following typically leads adolescents to be involved in service activities?
attending school with a community service requirement
adolescents who have ___ score higher on measures of moral reasoning than those who have not
volunteered considerable amounts of time in service activities
recall three shifts that take place with political thinking during adolescence
1] increasing abstraction; 2] decreasing authorianism; 3] increasing use of principles
__ parenting makes adolescents more likely to feel sympathy towards others
shifts in the following three directions are similar to the shifts observed in studies of moral development, and consistent with the idea that cognitive autonomy emerges during late adolescence
all of these:
1] increasing abstraction; 2] decreasing authorianism; 3] increasing use of principles
the most important influence on the political behavior of young people tends to be the ___ in which they grow up
which of the following illustrates the notion that moral behavior and moral reasoning do not always go hand in hand?
Jeff knows that the speed limit is 70 but he drives 80
the reawakened intrapsychic conflicts of early adolescence are expressed as
all of these:
1. tension
2. arguments
3. discomfort in the family
one explanation about young adolescents' susceptibility to peer pressure is that it
psychological control involves which of the following behaviors?
all of these:
1. overprotectiveness
2. intrusiveness
an adolescent who can sympathize when her mother has a bad day at work is demonstrating ___ autonomy