Positive Development in a Disorderly World

Adolescents need to develop competencies to navigate an adult world that is complex and disorderly: a world of heterogeneous macro‐ to microecological systems containing contradictions and catch‐22s. This exploratory essay examines adolescents' conscious processes of developing pertinent compet...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of research on adolescence 2011-06, Vol.21 (2), p.317-334
Main Author: Larson, Reed W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent Development
Adolescents
Cognitive Processes
Community Programs
Computer Software
Embarrassment
Executives
Forecasting
Goal Orientation
Humanities
Longitudinal Studies
Motivation
Qualitative Research
Self Control
Skills
Youth
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Summary:Adolescents need to develop competencies to navigate an adult world that is complex and disorderly: a world of heterogeneous macro‐ to microecological systems containing contradictions and catch‐22s. This exploratory essay examines adolescents' conscious processes of developing pertinent competencies for pursuing goals (agency) in these kinds of “real‐world” settings. It draws on qualitative longitudinal research on youth's experiences working on arts and community projects in which they encounter the irregular dynamics of complex human systems. I describe how youth develop “strategic thinking”: executive skills for formulating strategies based on forecasting dynamics in navigating these systems. I also describe how youth learn to manage emotions (in self and others) that arise in these real‐world transactions and how they develop motivation that sustains their work toward goals. Even as we learn more about the biological hardware of development, I argue that we must study youth's conscious, proactive processes in developing their own “software” to navigate complex and disorderly human worlds.
ISSN:1050-8392
1532-7795
DOI:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00707.x