Chapter 9

What is Autonomy?Independence

An individual’s capacity to behave on his or her own

AutonomyEmotional components (feeling

separate from parents) Behavioral components (the

growth of independent decision making)

Cognitive components (developing personal beliefs and values)

2

Autonomy Development in Modern Society

Today’s teens spend much more time away from the direct supervision of adults than prior generations

But today’s teens also have become more economically reliant on their families than prior generations

3

Three Types of Autonomy Emotional Autonomy

Gaining emotional independence in relationships with others, especially parents

Behavioral Autonomy Making independent

decisions and following through on them

Value Autonomy Developing an

independent set of beliefs and principles, resisting peer and parental pressures

5

Development of Emotional Autonomy

What triggers individuation? Changes in teen’s appearance provoke

changes in how teen views self and how parents view teen. This alters parent-adolescent interactions

Social-cognitive development stimulates movement toward individuation

8

Development of Emotional AutonomyEmotional Autonomy and

Parenting PracticesHealthy individuation and

positive mental health are fostered by close, not distant, family relationships

Conditions that encourage both individuation and emotional closeness facilitate autonomy

10

Development of Behavioral Autonomy

Changes in Decision-Making AbilitiesHow do decision making

abilities improve from 7th to 12th grade?

Older adolescents showed more sophisticated abilities in: awareness of risks considering future

consequences turning to a consultant recognizing vested

interests

11

Development of Behavioral Autonomy

Changes in susceptibility to influence

Conformity to peers is higher during early and middle adolescenceParents are more

influential regarding long-term issues, basic values

Peers’ opinions are more influential for day-to-day matters (music tastes or clothing style)

12

Development of Behavioral Autonomy

Changes in Feelings of Self-Reliance

Adolescent girls report feeling more self-reliant than adolescent boys do

Adolescents who have a stronger sense of self-reliance report havinghigher self-esteem fewer behavior problems

13

The Development of Value AutonomyMoral Reasoning

Development How individuals think about

moral dilemmas and make moral judgments

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory Used morally challenging

stories (Heinz)More interested in the

reasoning behind people’s explanations than whether the answer was right or wrong

14

The Development of Value Autonomy

KOHLBERGKOHLBERG’’S THREE LEVELS OF S THREE LEVELS OF MORAL REASONINGMORAL REASONING

Preconventional Moral Reasoning (worrying about punishment/reward)

Conventional Moral Reasoning (following societal rules and norms)

Postconventional Moral Reasoning (most abstract and advanced)

15

The Heinz DilemmaWas it right or wrong for Heinz to steal the drug for his wife?

Would your answer be considered preconventional, conventional, postconventional?

In Class Exercise1. a 25-year-old black militant who graduated from

Harvard2. a Mexican farmer, illegally in the United States3. a homosexual football star4. a middle-aged religious fanatic, mother of two teenagers5. an attractive lesbian, occupation M.D.6. a sorority girl majoring in fashion merchandise7. a male radical hippie working as an environmental

ecologist8. a 59-year-old female community leader9. a call girl10. an obese and balding politician11. a drug dealer from an upper-class family12. a mildly retarded male teenager who is a musical genius13. a handicapped telephone operator14. a male midget

Based on what you’ve read…Use info from text to support your answers

Does emotional autonomy necessarily mean cutting off emotional ties with parents?

How does peer pressure fit into the concepts of behavior and value autonomy? According to research, how much of an impact does peer pressure have on behavior/value autonomy during adolescence?

The Development of Value Autonomy

Prosocial Reasoning, Behavior, and Volunteerism:Prosocial behavior (helping others)Prosocial reasoning becomes more sophisticated

But changes in actual prosocial behavior, such as helping others or empathizing with others, are not consistently found in adolescence

Involvement in community service leads toGains in social responsibilityGains in toleranceIncreases in the importance that individuals

place on the importance of helping others

20

The Development of Value AutonomyPolitical Thinking Becomes more abstract Becomes less

authoritarian and less rigid

Becomes more principled (an increase in a consistent set of attitudes; an ideology)

21

The Development of Value Autonomy

Religious Beliefs Become more abstract,

more principled, and more independent during the adolescent years

The stated importance of religion—and participation in an organized religion—declines somewhat during the adolescent years

22