Chapter 10: Later Adolescence (18 to 24 years)

Chapter Objectives: 1.To examine the concept of autonomy from parents and the conditions under which it is likely to be achieved. 2.To trace the development of gender identity in later adolescence including: a discussion of how the components of gender role identification that were relevant during the early ‑ school ‑ age period are revised and expanded.

Chapter Objectives (cont.) 3.To describe the maturation of morality in later adolescence, with special focus on the role of new cognitive capacities that influence moral judgments and the various value orientations that underlie moral reasoning. 4.To analyze the process of career choice, with attention to education and gender role socialization as two major influential factors.

Chapter Objectives (cont.) 5.To define and describe the psychosocial crisis of later adolescence, individual identity versus identity confusion, the central process through which this crisis is resolved, role experimentation, the prime adaptive ego quality of fidelity to values and ideals, and the core pathology of repudiation. 6.To examine some of the predictors and consequences of dropping out of college.

Autonomy from Parents: –Autonomy is a multidimensional task that is accomplished gradually over the course of later adolescence and early adulthood. –Autonomy is an ability to regulate one’s own behavior without undue control from or dependence on one’s parents. –Autonomy requires independence of thoughts, emotions, and actions. –Differentiation is the extent to which the family-system encourages intimacy while supporting the expression of differences.

Autonomy from Parents: Autonomy and Leaving Home –Living away from one’s parent’s may be a symbol of independence, but it is not as readily achievable in the age range 18 to 24 as it was in the past. –Parents and adolescent children have different views about the age at which children are expected to leave home. –Economic factors and social norms play a significant role in the timing of leaving home.

Autonomy from Parents: Autonomy and the College Experience –Going away to college is an intermediate step between living at home and establishing a permanent residence in early adulthood. –College freshman express a variety of attitudes about their desire to be independent from their family. –The experience of entering college focuses new attention on college students attachment relationships with their parents.

Autonomy from Parents: Autonomy and Self- Sufficiency –Self-sufficiency is expressed by making independent decisions, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and achieving a degree of financial independence. –Process of achieving self-sufficiency opens the door to changes in ego structures including gender identity, morality, and career aspirations.

Gender Identity: The Role of Culture –Gender identity: acquisition of a set of beliefs, attitudes, and values about oneself as a man or a woman in many areas of social life –All cultures construct gender-differentiated roles: Expectations to behave in certain ways because one is male or female

Gender Identity: Reevaluating Gender Constancy –Later adolescents understand that there are wide individual differences within gender groups in most traits and abilities. –Later adolescents realize that gender is not quite as fixed and constant as they may have believed.

Gender Identity: Reevaluating Earlier Gender Role Standards and Learning New Ones –Later adolescents learn to integrate and synthesize gender role expectations –New understanding about adult roles broadens the knowledge base regarding the implications and consequences of gender –Gender role standards may change within one’s lifetime

Gender Identity: Revising Childhood Identifications –The component of parental identifications that contributes to gender identity is also reviewed and revised in later adolescence. –During this time, young people begin to encounter a wide range of possible targets for identification.

Gender Identity: Adding a Sexual Dimension to Gender Identity –Later adolescents add a sexual dimension to their gender identity –Physical attractiveness becomes more salient –Maturation of the hormonal system contributes to one’s gender identity: Androgens Estrogens

Gender Identity: Sexual Orientation –Sexual orientation refers to erotic, romantic, and affectionate attraction to people of the same, opposite, or both sexes. –Four terms used in discussing gender identity include: Masculinity Femininity Androgyny Transgendered –Research on sexual orientation suggests that later adolescence is a common time for the crystallization of sexual identity.

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Gender Identity: Integrating One’s Gender Identity –Gender role preference contributes to the emergence of gender identity. –View of gender typicality may become more differentiated in later adolescence. –Gender role preferences are adjusted when later adolescents perceive that one gender group is treated with greater respect and given more opportunities and rewards.

Internalized Morality: New Cognitive Capacities –Later adolescents : Begin to see themselves as moral beings Bring new cognitive capacities to the arena of moral decision making Are able to consider multiple perspectives that are possible in moral situations

Internalized Morality: Stages of Moral Reasoning –Preconventional Level, Stage I (age 4-10) –Conventional Level, Stage II (age 10-18) –Postconventional Level, Stage III (age 18- adulthood)

Internalized Morality: Experiences that Promote Moral Reasoning –Later adolescents encounter situations that require moral evaluation, judgment, and decisions about action. –Individual levels of moral reasoning depend on the kinds of moral challenges and situations encountered. –Exposure to a diversity of information, relationships, and worldviews stimulates moral reasoning.

Internalized Morality: Expansions of Kohlberg’s View of Moral Reasoning –Studies do not find consistent links between a person’s level of moral reasoning and a willingness to act in a morally caring way. –Theory is based on a specific method that emphasizes prohibitive moral judgments. –Carol Gilligan criticized research based largely on male respondents and hypothetical situations.

Career Choice: –Work experiences in later adolescence –Factors influencing career choice: Family background Education Gender role socialization –Phases of career decision making proceed from exploration, crystallization, choice, clarification, induction, influence, and finally, to integration.

Individual Identity: The Content and Evaluation Components of Identity –Structure of identity has two components: Content – includes what one thinks about, values and believes in Evaluation – refers to the significance one places on various aspects of the identity content –Both content and evaluation components of identity may change over the life course

Case Study: Houston A. Baker, Jr. Thought Questions: –What elements of the identity process are evident in this case? –What are some of the characteristics of Professor Watkins that may have made him a target for identification for Houston Baker? –What aspects of the college environment are likely to stimulate the identity process?

Case Study: Houston A. Baker, Jr. (cont.) –Have you ever had an intellectual experience that gave you a “new sense of yourself”? –What combination of factors came together to permit that to happen?

The Psychosocial Crisis: Individual Identity Versus Identity Confusion Individual Identity: The Private and The Public Faces of Identity –Private self includes four basic elements: Sense of agency, unity, otherness, and decentering/distancing –Public self includes the many roles one plays and the expectations of others.

Individual Identity: Identity Status –James Marcia’s framework for assessing identity status is based on two criteria: crisis and commitment –Achievement –Foreclosure –Moratorium –Confusion –Negative identity: Self-image that is contrary to the cultural values of the community

Identity Confusion: –Foreclosed and negative identity resolve the identity crisis toward the maladaptive resolution of identity confusion. –Identity confused are less conscientious, more likely to experience negative emotions, and more disagreeable. –Temporary periods of confusion and depression are common

Identity Formation for Men and Women: –Some investigators have argued that the concept of identity is a reflection of a male- oriented culture. –Other researchers point out that Erikson’s construct of personal identity is embedded in relational context. –Men and women appear to handle the process of role experimentation and identity achievement somewhat differently.

The Central Process of Role Experimentation: Psychosocial Moratorium –Psychosocial Moratorium is a period of free experimentation before a final identity is achieved. –Path toward identity status depends on how willing a person is to engage in role experimentation. –Role experimentation implies an active process by which later adolescents search to find their niche.

Case Study: Turning Points in the Identity Process Thought Questions: –How are turning points different from role experimentation? –What might determine whether a turning point leads to identity achievement or identity confusion?

Case Study: Turning Points in the Identity Process (cont.) –What is the difference between the events that Sullivan experienced, and those that Rachel experienced? How might the differences in these two kinds of events relate to subsequent identity work?

Case Study: Turning Points in the Identity Process (cont.) –What factors might be necessary to preserve the focus and sense of purpose that are evoked in these critical life events? For example, how might family support, the response of close friends, or opportunities for enacting new roles influence whether these changes are sustained?

Role Experimentation and Ethnic Identity –Five stage model of ethnic minority identity development: Conformity Dissonance Resistance and immersion Introspection Articulation and awareness

The Prime Adaptive Ego Quality and The Core Pathology –Fidelity to Values and Ideologies: The ability to sustain loyalties freely pledged in spite of the inevitable contradictions and confusions of value systems –Repudiation: The rejection of certain values, beliefs, and roles

Applied Topic: Dropping out of College –Growing concern about large percentage of students who attend college and leave without a degree: In 2008, the national graduation rate for 4-year colleges was 56% after 6 years In 2008, the national graduation rate for 2-year colleges was 27.5% after 3 years

Applied Topic: Dropping out of College –Degree completion is a result of four factors: Financial Factors Academic Preparation and Goals Personal Factors Characteristics of the College Environment

Applied Topic: Dropping out of College –Consequences of Dropping out of College: Often difficult and confusing identity work Short and long term earnings may be affected Impact on occupation; social status in the community –Many opportunities exist to re-engage in the college environment (e.g., online classes, part-time status, continuing education.)