Question

Allison is a 16-year-old who shows an increasing ability to consider problems in the abstract. She has sent for college information and has made financial plans to help pay for college. This cognitive change is called:

a. Identity diffusion
b. Identity foreclosure
c. Identity moratorium
d. Identity achievement

Answer 1

Allison is experiencing identity achievement, a stage where adolescents establish a strong sense of personal identity by confirming their own values and making future plans. d. Identity achievement

Step-by-step explanation:

Allison, a 16-year-old demonstrating the ability to consider problems abstractly and make plans for the future, such as attending college, is experiencing a cognitive change referred to as identity achievement.

This phase is part of psychosocial development and corresponds to Erik Erikson's theory. At this stage, adolescents confirm their own values and ideas, make decisions about their career paths, and pursue goals, all indicating a strong sense of personal identity. The cognitive changes during adolescence allow for this development, as teens move beyond concrete thinking and start to think abstractly, considering multiple perspectives and hypothetical situations.