An analysis of obedience among adolescents in Chennai, South India

Abstract

With an increase in exposure to modern cultures, and a desire to develop an identity independent of their family, teenagers in the current generation demonstrate greater disobedience towards figures of authority, due to which they are less adherent to instructions given. A study was carried out on 380 adolescent boys (n=194) and girls (n=186), across schools in Chennai with the aim of understanding the obedience behaviors among them. The study involved administering a checklist consisting of 10 statements pertinent to obedience that the adolescents were to score themselves on, and a form to acquire their socio-demographic details. From analysis of the results, the mean score of obedience was 26.04 (SD ±3.39) among the participants for the statements, with individual scores ranging from 8-34 demonstrating that disobedience was observed. The inferential analysis showed no significant difference in obedience based on gender, working status of the mother, family type, and number of siblings.