AUTONOMY1

Autonomy refers to the right for self determination. Becoming an autonomous

person-a self-governing person- is one of the fundamental tasks of adolescence.
Independence generally refers to the individuals capacity to behave on their own. The growth
of independence is part of becoming autonomous during adolescence, but autonomy has
emotional and cognitive as well as behavioral components.
Growth in autonomy must not be confused with rebellion and becoming an
independent person must not be equated with breaking away from the family. The growth in
autonomy is gradual and not dramatic.
1. Three types of Autonomy
1.1. Emotional autonomy refers to emotional independence in relationships with others,
especially parents
1.2 Behavioral autonomy refers to development of independent decision making abilities.
1.3 Value autonomy is mote than being able to resists pressures to go along the demands of
others; it concerns the development of independent beliefs.
2. The Development of Emotional Autonomy
The relationship between children and their parent changes repeatedly over the course
of the life cycle. Changes in the expression of affection, the distribution of power, and the
patterns of verbal interaction are likely to occur whenever important transformations take
place in the childs or the parent competencies, concerns and social roles. By the end of
adolescence, individuals are far less emotionally dependent on their parents.
2.1 Older adolescents do not generally rush to their parents whenever they are upset, worried
or in need of assistance;
2.2 They do not see their parents as all knowing or all powerful;
2.3 Adolescents often have a great deal of emotional energy wrapped up in relationships
outside the family-feel more attach to a girlfriend/boyfriend than their parents;
2.4. Older adolescents are able to see and interact with their parents as people-not just
parents
3. Emotional Autonomy and Detachment
Detachment is the process of separation when the adolescent is attempting to sever
the attachments to their parents-form at infancy and strengthen in childhood.
Studies showed that most families get along quiet well during adolescent years.
Emotional autonomy during adolescence involves a transformation not a breaking off of family
relationship. Adolescents can become emotionally autonomous without being detach from
them.
4. Emotional Autonomy and Individuation
4.1 Individuation implies the growing person takes the increasing responsibility for what he
does and what he is, rather than depositing this responsibility on the shoulders of those under
whose influence and tutelage he has grown upPeter Blos, psychoanalyst.
4.2 Individuation involves a gradual, progressive sharpening of ones sense of self as
autonomous, as competent and separate from ones parents. It has to do with the
development of ones sense of identity. This entails relinquishing childish dependencies on
parents.
4.3 De-idealization- to shed their childish images of their parents before replacing them with
more mature ones. I used to listen to everything. I thought he was always right. Now I have
my own opinions. They may be wrong but their mine, and I like to say them.
4.4 What Triggers the Process of Individuation?
4.4.1 Puberty is the main catalyst. Changes in the adolescents physical appearance provoke
changes in the way that adolescents are viewed by themselves and by their parents.
4.4.2 Social cognitive development refers to the thinking we do about ourselves and our
relationship with others. Prior to adolescence, an individual accept their view of themselves as
accurate.
1

Lawrence Steinberg, Adolescence.

5. Emotional Autonomy and Parenting Practices

Healthy relationship is fostered by close, not distant family relationships.
Independence, responsibility are fostered by parent who are authoritative (friendly,
firm fair) rather than authoritarian (excessively harsh), indulgent (excessively lenient) or
indifferent (excessively aloof to the point of neglectful).
6. The Development of Behavioral Autonomy
6.1 Changes in Decision Making abilities
One of the main ways in which the development of behavioral autonomy during
adolescence is evident in the growth of decision making abilities (hypothetical thinkingbegin able to look ahead and assist risks and likely outcomes of alternative choices). As
individuals mature, they become better able to seek out and weigh the advice of individuals of
different degrees of expertise and to use this information in making independent decisions.
One controversy that has been debated is whether adolescents decision making abilities are
mature enough to permit them to make independent decisions about their health care.
6.2 Changes in Conformity and Susceptibility to Influence
Although adolescence is, in general, a time of advances in decision making abilities, there are
temporary period, during early adolescence, when individuals are particularly susceptible
to peer pressure especially on issues concerning day to day activities and social
matters such as styles of dress. But when it comes to long term questions or issues
about basic values, parents remain more influential than peers. Susceptibility to peer
pressure increases during pre-adolescence and high school years while it decreases over the
college years. Generally, adolescent whose parents are extremely authoritarian or
extremely permissive are the most easily influenced but their friends.
7. Development of Value Autonomy
7.1 Moral development during Adolescence
Most of the research concerning value autonomy has focus on moral development in particular.
According to Lawrence Kohlbergs theory, adolescence is time of potential shifting from a
morality that defines right and wrong in term of societys rules to one that defines right and
wrong on the basis of ones own basic moral principles. This shift does not tend to occur until
late in adolescence, suggesting that the development of value autonomy occurs later than
either emotional or behavioral autonomy. (Pre-conventional-reward and punishment
orientation, conventional, good boy/girl bad boy/girl orientation; Post conventional-society rule
and conventions are seen as relative and subjective rather than as authoritative.) One
important critic of Kohlbergs theory has been Carol Gilligan, who argued that Kohlbergs
theory overemphasizes traditional conceptions of morality (which emphasize justice) and
underemphasizes conceptions that tare more likely to be espoused by females( which
emphasize care).
7.2 Political Thinking during Adolescence
Where as younger adolescence believe in autocratic rule and support existing laws,
older adolescents are more likely to challenge authority and argue that laws should be
reexamined.
7.3 Religious belief during Adolescence
Religious belief becomes more abstract more principle during adolescent years. It becomes
more oriented toward spiritual and ideological matters and less oriented toward rituals,
external religious practices and strict observance or religious customs.