Chapter 9 - Autonomy

Question 1

What is the difference between independence and autonomy?

Answer 1

independence = capacity to behave on one’s own

autonomy is broader, deals with various areas of self-governing

Question 2

What are the 3 main dimensions of autonomy?

Answer 2

emotional
- gaining emotional independence in relationships with others, especially parents

behavioural
- making independent decisions and following through on them

cognitive aka value
- developing an independent set of beliefs and principles, separate from peer and parental pressures

do not occur simultaneously and do not occur in a fixed order
- leads to confusion, paradoxical situations, and differing opinions between youth and adults

Question 3

What is really happening when teens are “rebelling”?

Answer 3

not rebelling or rejection/disconnection from the family

instead the process of self-regulation has begun but the boundaries are unclear and not mutually agreed upon

Question 4

How does autonomy appear in toddlerhood?

Answer 4

“terrible twos”

key in development in the sense of self

assert self as an individual with needs separate from parents/others

preparation for later development in adolescence

Question 5

In what ways does emotional autonomy develop during adolescence?

Answer 5

change in parent-child relationship (power, expression, interaction)

become less emotionally dependent on their parents

detachment (psychoanalytic view)
- natural way to force adolescent from family, implies breaking off of relationships/connection to family

emotional autonomy achieved through individuation

Question 6

What is individuation?

Answer 6

long, gradual process

begin to let go of dependency on parents and adopt a more mature, responsible relationships with them

take increasing responsibility for the self

begin to turn less dependent relationships (peers and others)

not about severing parent-child relationships, but about transforming it

Question 7

What are 4 characteristics of the transformation in parent-child relationship?

Answer 7

non-dependency
- no longer turn to parents for every concern, develop personal coping mechanisms

de-idealization of parents
- no longer considered to be experts in every area

people outside the family take up considerable emotional energy

begin to interact with parents as people not just parental figures

Question 8

What are some barriers to emotional autonomy?

Answer 8

youth expect autonomy earlier than parents

may be anxious without safety net

parents may feel rejected and view non-compliance as rejection

Question 9

How does parenting style impact emotional autonomy?

Answer 9

authoritative promotes independence and positive adjustment

authoritarian decreases overall well-being and increases problem behaviour leads to becoming a “follower”
- helicopter parents smother youth, can’t experience individuation

indifferent/permissive leads to pseudo-independence, over-reliance on peer advice
- detached or has no boundaries

Question 10

What are some traits of toxic parenting?

Answer 10

excessive psychological/physical control

abusive

mental illness

manipulative, controlling, demanding

react to the disruption in family equilibrium by increasing chaos

Question 11

What are some examples of maladaptive parenting?

Answer 11

treating older adolescent as a child

requiring all decisions to be approved

using guilt to create pressure to follow parental direction

creating fear so adolescents will not disagree

manipulating through possible withdrawal of love, affection, financial help, place to live, etc.

Question 12

What are some traits of behavioural autonomy?

Answer 12

does not make fully independent decisions!

turn to others for advice when appropriate

weight different solutions or courses of actions using others’ and own judgement

and THEN reach an independent decision about how to act/behave

Question 13

What are the 3 domains of behavioural autonomy?

Answer 13

changes in decision making ability

changes in susceptibility to influence of others

changes in feelings of self-reliance

Question 14

What are some changes in decision making that occur when achieving behavioural autonomy?

Answer 14

be more aware of possible risks

consider future consequences of alternatives

turn to independent specialists as consultants

realize when advice givers have vested interests

be cautious about accepting biased advice

due to changes in cognitive development

Question 15

How does self-regulation improve with age?

Answer 15

decisions less influenced by rewards
- risks and rewards more equally balanced

better at controlling their impulses
- by late adolescence, reasoning about rewards and impulse control have matured, decisions and actions are more planful and deliberate

Question 16

Why are early adolescents especially susceptible to advice/influence of peers?

Answer 16

orientation towards peer group has increased

more dependent on peers as autonomy from parents increases
- peers provide bridge to autonomy

susceptibility greatest in early teen years and then declines

Question 17

What causes the change in susceptibility to peer reactions?

Answer 17

teens follow each other because their brains derive more pleasure from social acceptance than adults

being liked by others activate more reward centres in adolescence

emotion centres well developed but reasoning centres not yet, more susceptible to peer pressure

Question 18

What is positive peer pressure?

Answer 18

peer pressure can also encourage positive social behaviours

studying, training for sports, overcoming a fear, trying something new

Question 19

What is perceived autonomy?

Answer 19

judgements about how autonomous adolescents think they are

subjective feelings of autonomy increase steadily throughout adolescence

Question 20

What is cognitive autonomy?

Answer 20

development of independent beliefs, morals, and values

beliefs become more grounded in abstract principles and less tied to dictates of authority

develop guiding principles rather than doing what is told or following established rules

Question 21

What is Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning?

Answer 21

actual decision is less important than the reasoning behind it

answer to WHY determines level of moral reasoning

3 stages

• pre-conventional
• conventional
• post-conventional

Question 22

What is pre-conventional moral reasoning?

Answer 22

decisions based on whether action leads to reward or punishment

external and tangible outcomes

stage dominates childhood

Question 23

What is conventional moral reasoning?

Answer 23

late childhood and early adolescence

focus on how they will be judged by others

emphasis on roles, expectations, rules, conventions

look for approval and maintain social order

rule-bound and conforming

Question 24

What is post-conventional/principled moral reasoning?

Answer 24

emerges during adolescence

rules seen as relative and subjective

conventions can be questioned when more important principles take precedence

potential - not everyone reaches this level

Question 25

What is the result of increased ability to think hypothetically?

Answer 25

increased interest in ideological/philosophical issues

exploration of different value systems, personal ethics and beliefs systems

Question 26

What results from the onset of idealism?

Answer 26

re-evaluation of right and wrong

rejection of rules that now seem arbitrary

independent decisions apart from social approval

Question 27

What is the most common level of moral reasoning used in adolescence?

Answer 27

conventional

Question 28

How can parents foster moral development in adolescents?

Answer 28

encourage participation in family discussions

allow reasonable disagreement

model higher level reasoning

Question 29

How can peers affect moral development in adolescents?

Answer 29

teens adopt parental values where parent is expert but peer values in areas of acceptance and status

since peer groups comprised of individuals with similar values, may not influence development of values but rather reinforce ones that already exist

Question 30

What are the 2 theories as to what triggers individuation?

Answer 30

puberty

cognitive development

Question 31

Which gender is less susceptible to peer pressure? Which race?

Answer 31

males > females

other groups > black adolescents

Question 32

What is moral disengagement?

Answer 32

rationalizing immoral behaviour as legitimate as a way of justifying one’s own bad acts

more likely to engage in risky behaviour when they see it as a matter of personal taste rather than right and wrong

Question 33

How does parenting affect moral and prosocial reasoning?

Answer 33

authoritative parenting helps contribute to its development

helps develop sympathy, empathy, and emotion regulation

Question 34

What gender scores higher on prosocial moral reasoning methods?

Answer 34

girls

girls and boys with more feminine traits

Question 35

What is one of the most obvious ways to engage in prosocial behaviour?

Answer 35

civic engagement/service learning

debate around if volunteering is good for adolescents’ psychology

Question 36

How does thinking become more political?

Answer 36

more abstract

less authoritarian and rigid

develop a roughly coherent and consistent set of attitudes (sort of ideology) based on a set of overarching principles
- concerning civil liberties, freedom of speech, social equality, etc.

Question 37

How do attributions of unemployment, poverty, and homelessness change with class?

Answer 37

higher classes attribute these things to societal factors

lower classes attribute these things to individual factors

Question 38

How do religious beliefs change over adolescence?

Answer 38

become more orientated towards spiritual and ideological matters and less towards rituals, practices, and strict observance of religious customs

more emphasis on internal aspects than external manifestations

Question 39

What is religiosity?

Answer 39

degree to which one engages in religious practices

may be important for identity development since it involves identification with a particular group

Question 40

What is spirituality?

Answer 40

degree to which one places importance on the quest for answers to questions about God and the meaning of life

may be important to development of cognitive autonomy since it involves self-awareness and development of personal meaning systems and values

Question 41

What are effects of religious involvement on the youth?

Answer 41

better adjusted and less depressed, less likely to have premarital sex, less likely to use drugs/engages in delinquency

especially positive effect for inner-city youth

may be due to more positive role models but being religious in and of itself appears to have these effects as well