Disclosures to a Stranger

The condition known as ‘adolescence’ is largely an artefact of advance industrial societies. How, then, do those who are labelled as ‘adolescent’ conduct their everyday lives, and what are their values? Originally published in 1980, this book seeks to provide some answers, amplified with a great deal of illustrative material, and many detailed observations.

The first chapter outlines a theoretical position, based on the conception of the person as essentially perceptive and active. The development and application of the research method is then described: this consists of an informal and loosely structured interview, by means of which the participants were able to give lengthy and vivid accounts of their experiences. Four broad topics are examined in detail: family life, relationships with other adolescents, formal and informal work, and the development of ‘self-values’. One of the most striking findings of the research is the fact that many boys and girls, denied the possibility of deep involvement with other areas of activity, have attached an almost obsessive importance to their immediate social world: here, at least, it is possible to gain some degree of control. The author indicates that social class differences are evident at many points, and expresses his belief that such differences among adolescents are likely to intensify rather than decrease during the coming decades.

The book concludes by relating the social-psychological findings to the broader social and historical context. In contrast to the common view of adolescence as a period during which identity is discovered, contemporary adolescence might be viewed as a struggle for psychological survival under conditions where for many the development of a strong personal identity is scarcely possible.