After conducting primary research, I hypothesized that: David Elkinds theory of heightened egocentrism in adolescence is an accurate portrayal of development

in adolescents. In order to prove my hypothesis I conducted primary research. I conducted a survey that highlighted many of Elkinds key points in his theory. The survey as completed !y "# grade $, %&, and %% students. The 'uestions ere !ased on finding out the amount of self a areness (heightened egocentrism), risk*taking and the e+tent of the personal fa!le found in each grade. I chose a survey !ecause Elkind used surveys in his ork and I anted to continue his studies to see if the patterns he found in middle school ere the same for high school students. After reading ,The -ersonal .a!le and /isk* Taking in Early Adolescence0 (Al!erts, 1&&2), the survey Elkind and his team performed helped me to formulate my o n 'uestions. Listening to your parents has become a choice rather than a must? Risk-Taking 3ompletely agree 1 1 : 4ostly agree %& %" %8 5ome hat 4ostly agree6disagree disagree 8 %# %1 # 8 9 3ompletely Disagree 9 & %

7rade $ 7rade %& 7rade %%

The graph a!ove sho s the survey results as to ho students feel to ards their parents rules. If students feel their parents rules are choices, they must !e taking a risk to !reak them. They are not afraid of the conse'uences they might face for not follo ing them. It is interesting to see the steady increase in students that mostly agree that their parents rules are not a must as they enter higher grades. These results sho that as teens mature through high school they are more illing to test the aters. They can !reak their parents rules and !e less afraid of the conse'uences. 4ore than %6" of students in grade $ said they mostly disagree, hich means they are less illing to !reak their parents rules, as they feel it is mostly a must to follo them. /isk*taking in adolescence !ecomes more prevalent as the teen matures. The research I found displays that the older e get the more risks e are illing to take. David Elkinds survey on middle school students concluded that , e cannot say the e+tent to hich either the personal fa!le or risk*taking is a short*lived developmental phenomenon, or an a!iding personality trait.0 (Al!erts, 1&&2). This means that risk*taking may not !e attri!uted to adolescents, !ut is a personality trait that is developed in teenage years.

Your boyfriend/girlfriend breaks up with you and your first reaction is to call up your friends and tell them of your woes? Personal Fable 3ompletely agree %& : : 4ostly agree %" %1 : 5ome hat 4ostly agree6disagree disagree # 2 2 : 2 8 3ompletely Disagree 2 9 2

7rade $ 7rade %& 7rade %%

This 'uestion ill test the personal fa!le in students, !ecause if they ant to tell others of their oes than they think their friends care a!out their !reakup as much as they do. Elkinds survey found that ,-ersonal .a!le 5cores ill increase significantly across the age range studied.0 (Al!erts, 1&&2). This is not true for high school students; I found that as they grades increased the personal fa!le decreased. The graph clearly sho s a decrease in the personal fa!le !et een grade $ and %%. 7rades $s are more illing to call their friends and tell them of their !reakup. In grade %& the amount that completely agree decreases yet almost the same amount agree. <o ever in grade %%, hen egocentrism is inferred to end, it levels off and there is an almost e'ual amount of people that agree, some hat agree, and disagree. Elkinds theory is still correct !ecause egocentrism peaks in grade 8 and students in grade $ are still on the high. ithin the past three years ha!e your peers opinions of you become more important than they once were? "gocentrism 3ompletely agree 2 " " 4ostly agree 1% %2 %1 5ome hat 4ostly agree6disagree disagree 1 # $ 2 9 2 3ompletely Disagree % " 8

7rade $ 7rade %& 7rade %%

The ta!le a!ove sho s ho students in each grade feel to ards their peers opinions of them. =n David Elkinds study on middle school he discovered there as an increase in egocentrism !et een grade 2 and 8 students. In grade 2 students felt less self a are than grade 8 students did. The graph a!ove continues his research. The grade $s felt that their

peers opinions of them in the past three years have !ecome more important than it as !efore. This could sho a heightened sense of self a areness in the past three years of their lives. The grade %%s ho ever, sho s a decline in egocentrism. Almost dou!le the grade $s agree and completely agree than the grade %%s. This also relates to Elkinds theory !ecause inferences have !een made that adolescent egocentrism is in its peak !et een the ages of %1*%2. 5tudents in grade %% are in their %:th year of life, this means that their heightened ego may !e evening out as they mature into the stage of adulthood.