Psychology > STUDY GUIDE > San Marino High AP PSYCH 101 6.2.2 (All)

San Marino High AP PSYCH 101 6.2.2

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6.2.2 Test 1. Sixteen-year-old Thomas is in a difficult position. He has been trying to break into the popular group at school, and now one of the members of the group has invited him to a party on Saturday. He really wants to go, but he has already volunteered to help his church youth group with an activity for first graders that night. In addition, he knows that there will be drinking at the party, and he has promised his mother that he would never drink in high school, and she trusts him. Predict what Thomas will do and explain his decision using Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Kohlberg's theory of morality, and Erikson's theory of identity formation. Piaget's theory of cognitive development: During Thomas’s age, he is in stage 4 of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, formal operational. In the previous stage, he has already learned to think more logically, obtain a better grasp of technology, and handle certain situations through reasonings, and now in his current stage, he’s thinking more about ethical and social issues that require abstract thinking. Because Thomas is able to make logical decisions, he would most likely volunteer in church than to party because if he does party, he not only breaks the promise of helping the church, but he will also lose his mom’s trust of never drinking again. In other words, going to a party will create more negative consequences to himself than positive. Kohlberg's theory of morality: Since Thomas is 16 years old, he is in level 3 of Kohlberg’s theory, specifically stage 5, social contract and legalistic orientation. Stage 5 is a period when a person is doing what is morally right even if its against the law. Thomas would go to church instead of a party because it is morally right. Even though he wants to go to the party and drink, he doesn’t think it would be morally right since he knows logically that drinking is not good. Erikson's theory of identity formation: Because Thomas is in his teens, he’s going through a conflict between identity vs role confusion, meaning that he’s seeking self and personal identity. Thomas’s choice in being part of the popular group shows that he is trying to find his own identity, which will result in him joining the party. He believes that by going to the party, he will know his personal identity or at least know whether or not he fits in the group

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