Decision Making among Adolescents

The Importance of Adolescents' Decisions

The decisions people make are not only vital to their own lives but also to the society in which they live. This is most evident in democratic societies, which depend on the ability and disposition of their citizens to make intelligent decisions. As society becomes more diverse and complex, decisions once made predominantly by adults are increasingly being made by adolescents. Decisions such as whether to experiment with drugs, practice safe sex, or drop out of school are just a few of the decisions frequently faced by adolescents today. Although many adolescents negotiate such challenges successfully, for too many the challenges of adolescent decision making will negatively affect the course of their adult lives.

Are Adolescents Competent Decision Makers?

Results of studies of adolescent decision making are inconclusive. They generally fall into two camps. Some studies show adolescents to be less competent than adults at making decisions (Halpern-Felsher & Cauffman, 2001), while others find adolescents' decision making comparable to that of adults (Beyth-Marom, Austin, Fischhoff, Palmgren, & Jacobs-Quadrel, 1993; Moshman, 1993). Those who view adolescents' and adults' decision making as comparable often cite adolescents' reasoning ability as evidence. Various studies have found adolescents and adults to reason similarly on a range of tasks (Moshman, 1993). This [Page 325]is not surprising, since many reasoning skills used by adults have been reported to emerge during adolescence (Moshman, 1998). Similarly, research has shown adolescents' decision-making skills to be comparable to those of adults (Beyth-Marom et al., 1993; Moshman, 1993). Specifically, adolescents were found to consider options, weigh pros and cons, and make decisions regarding their participation in research and receipt of medical treatment in similar ways as do adults (Moshman, 1993).

Although such evidence suggests that adolescents are competent decision makers, there is also compelling evidence to suggest they are not. Those subscribing to the view of adolescents as less competent decision makers often cite as evidence adolescents' higher risk taking compared with adults (Scott & Steinberg, 2003). This common view of adolescents as risky decision makers has been supported by a variety of studies (Furby & Beyth-Marom, 1992; Scott & Steinberg, 2003). In comparison to adults, adolescents generally take greater health and safety risks, such as engaging in unprotected sex and driving while intoxicated (Scott & Steinberg, 2003). Adolescents have also been found to differ from adults in the way they make decisions. Studies have shown adolescents to be less skilled than adults in considering options, risks, and future consequences (Halpern-Felsher & Cauffman, 2001; Scott & Steinberg, 2003).

Improving Adolescents' Decision Making: A Normative Model Approach

Although research on adolescent decision making is inconclusive, considerable effort and expense have been devoted to developing and implementing programs to improve adolescent decision making. Most programs are founded on a value-based model, which associates a numerical value with each alternative and defines choice as the maximization of values (Beyth-Marom, Fischhoff, Jacobs, & Furby, 1991). Typically, such programs identify basic steps in decision making according to normative models and teach people how to execute each step. Most programs include the following four steps: (1) identifying options, (2) identifying consequences for each option, (3) calculating likelihood of each consequence, and (4) contemplating one's preferences.

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