Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Practice Examination

Which of the following is a developmental task according to Robert Havighurst?

1. Developing moral reasoning

2. Recognizing social norms

3. Achieving emotional autonomy

4. Mastering academic skills

The correct answer is: Achieving emotional autonomy

Achieving emotional autonomy is a developmental task identified by Robert Havighurst, who emphasized that individuals must navigate various life stages that pose specific challenges and tasks crucial for their development. Emotional autonomy involves the ability to maintain one's individuality and make independent decisions, which is especially significant during adolescence when individuals transition from dependence on their parents to establishing their own identities and relationships. This process includes developing self-regulation, self-esteem, and the capacity to cope with peer influence, thereby contributing to an individual's overall emotional and psychological well-being. In contrast, the other options, while they may relate to personal development, do not explicitly capture the specific tasks defined in Havighurst's framework. Developing moral reasoning and recognizing social norms are important aspects of social development but are not categorized as developmental tasks by Havighurst. Mastering academic skills, while essential for educational attainment and personal growth, also falls under a different domain of development that prioritizes cognitive skills rather than the emotional and identity-focused aspects that emotional autonomy encompasses.