1 Psychology 1230: Psychology of Adolescence Don Hartmann Fall 2005 Lecture 17a © Autonomy

2 Administrative Announcements Quotes from 2 (of 3) lecture critiques I received on Friday, Nov. 4 th : “Man the people talking when you're trying to give the lecture drives me nuts! If I was a mean person I think I would just back-hand them but I'd feel bad for the rest of the day if I actually did. Maybe I should just resort to undermining their intelligence as a means of getting them to shut it!” “The few times I have sat in the back of the class, I was seriously distracted by the whispering and conversing.”

3 WEB Discussion Topic #27 #27. How peers can help. Psyched III. (Summary/Evaluation due on Monday, October 21st). Peers can have a variety of impacts on us for good or ill. Relate a peer event that profoundly affected you, and indicate the nature of the impact (e.g., on your sense of self; on your notion of what is acceptable), and why it had this impact. Also comment on another discussant’s commentary.

4 WEB Discussion Process Group#3 due#4 due Whippets10/27 (10/26)11/14 4♀+1♂10/28 (10/28)11/18 GypsyMafia10/24** JusticeLeague11/15 PithHelmets11/09 MAJACS10/25 (10/25)11/11 Psyched11/ Note: Anyone can contribute to any WEB discussion; group members are responsible to summarizing the discussion. The last day to contribute to any discussion is 3 days before the due date. Dates in parenthesis indicate the date handed in. Bolded dates indicate that material handed in was incomplete; more is required. **Where is the summary??

5 Handout Summary Handout WEB Date Date 32. Study Guide #710/ Lect. #14: Sexuality10/ Lect. #15a: Moral Devel (Piaget)10/ Study Guide #810/ HO: Lecture Critiques10/ Study Guide #910/ Lect. #15b: Moral Devel (Kohlberg)10/ Lect. #16: Attachment10/ Quiz 2 from Spring ’0510/ Lect. #17: Autonomy11/ Handout: Supplemental Project #211/ handout: Supplemental Project #311/07

6 Supplementary References Youniss, J., & Smollar, J. (1985). Adolescent relations with mothers, fathers, and friends. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Montemayor, R., & Flannery, D. J. (1991). From childhood to adolescence: A transitional period? Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

7 Overview: Autonomy: Renegotiating the Parent-Child Relationship Goals: To familiarize you with the notion of autonomy and how it has been addressed. To suggest how this issue might be dealt with with you adolescent children Overlap with text: Pp Lecture Introduction Theories of Emotional Autonomy Implications Next: Lecture 17b: Family Conflict

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9 Introduction: Leave Taking MOM “Where are you going?” “Out where?” “Who are you going with?” “Which friend?” “I don’t have to know everything. I just want to know who you’re going out with.” “Do I know Debby?” “Well, Where are you going?” ADOLESCENT “Out.” “Just out.” “A friend.” “Mom, just a friend, okay? Do you have to know everything?” “Debby, okay?” “She’s just a friend, okay?” “Out.”

10 Definition of Terms Autonomy: The psychosocial domain concerning the development and expression of independence. It consists of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. Independence: Independence generally refers to an individual’s capacity to behave on their own.

11 Introduction to Autonomy First met up with autonomy in Erickson’s theory, at age 1-3 years (second stage). So wasn’t autonomy settled then? Shaffer in Social & personality development states that “one of the most important developmental tasks that adolescents face is to achieve a mature and healthy sense of autonomy” (p. 371). Autonomy usually contrasted with attachment—but as we shall soon see, autonomy and attachment are complementary, not contradictory. Or perhaps the two are involved in a dialectic.

12 A Dialectic Thesis (e.g., attachment) Antithesis (e.g., autonomy) Synthesis (e.g., connectedness with independence)

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14 Why Autonomy Now? Physically capable of doing more things. Sexual maturity leads to out ‑ of ‑ family interests. Cognitively capable of looking at conflicting issues. They are no longer dependent on Mom or Dad. Socially ‑ The world has expanded; there are new peers, new adults. Future demands require greater responsibility and self ‑ reliance.

15 Cutting the Pie: Types of Autonomy First Pie: Cognitive, emotional, behavioral Second Pie: Emotional Autonomy: that aspect of independence which is related to changes in the individual’s close relationships, especially with parents. And we will focus here. Behavioral Autonomy: the capacity to make independent decisions and follow through with them Values Autonomy: having a set of principles about right and wrong, about what is important and what is not. Psathas’ empirical breakdown 3

16 The Development of Emotional Autonomy: 1  Detachment, separation, and conflict (e.g., Anna Freud ) Terms suggest a time of open rebellion. Oedipal conflicts re ‑ emerge and sexual drives shift from parents to peers. Not supported: family relations are transformed; not so much open warfare.

17 The Development of Emotional Autonomy: 2  Individuation (Peter Blos)  Dialectic: Attachment, separation, integration  The family relationship is being transformed ‑‑ from being hierarchical to egalitarian.  Instead of separating and detaching it is a problem of integration. Could view this as dialectic

18 The Development of Emotional Autonomy: 3  Connectedness vs. Separation —gender differences (Carol Gilligan)  In a Different Voice she proposed that Erikson’s model of identity formation did not fit for women. Instead of forming an identity through vocation, the process important for men, women formed their identity through interpersonal relationships. Therefore the idea of autonomy through separation was essential for men. In contrast, women are concerned with the issue of connectedness.  Recent research gives some support to Gilligan's position. Montemayor suggests that both genders deal with both issues.

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20 Dealing with Autonomy Issues (1) Recognizing autonomy demands/requests Adolescent desire to make decision Not heading parental advice Not wanting to spend time with family Engaging in deviant behavior …

21 Dealing with Autonomy Issues (2) What effective parents might do: Understand where you are coming from as a parent and that your child is growing into an adult Listen Correct labeling of behavior Negotiated limits What ineffective parents might do: Remain locked into power-oriented parent control

22 Concluding Note It is important to keep in mind that healthy adolescent development involves not only the ability to be a successful individual (independent--an achieved status) but also the ability to maintain healthy and satisfying attachments with others (interdependence--a matter of choice for independent persons).

23 Summary of Autonomy Lecture Autonomy Introduction Theories of Emotional Autonomy Implications Next: Lecture 17b: Family Conflict Go in Peace