Adolescent Perception of Adolescent Change in Personality and Intelligence

Summary

Subjective (perceived) and objective (concurrent) age differences were compared in two intelligence and three personality dimensions throughout adolescence. Objective age differences were investigated by observing 144 adolescent males and females (13–14 years, N = 48; 15–16 years, N = 48; 17–18 years, N = 48) under conventional self-description instructions. An additional 144 male and female 17- to 18-year-olds were randomly assigned to two instructional sets indicating either retrospected personal change or perceived peer change with three target ages (13–14, 15–16, and 17–18 years). Correlational analyses showed the internal and the cross-structure of the five behavior dimensions to be invariant across the three instructional sets. Analyses of variance were conducted separately for the intelligence and personality domains. Surprisingly, a posteriori analyses of significant instruction by behavioral dimension and instruction by target age effects indicated that no systematic age differences were obtained under retrospection and peer perception. However, adolescents judged peers, regardless of target age, as less well adjusted on Factor C (Ego-Strength) and D (Excitability) than they described themselves. Findings are interpreted in the framework of adolescent egocentrism and discussed both in terms of their implications for the study of adolescent socialization and the study of perceived age changes.