1. Introduction

Rousseau, an educationist, pointed out that the period of adolescence and youth (12 to 18 years) is the period in which the child, who has achieved the development of his body and his sense organs, and is, therefore, prepared for systematic education which aims at developing the real personality through giving various kinds of knowledge, developing emotions and sentiments, which leads to develop the moral and social qualities and enables him to fulfil his social responsibilities.

Similarly, Erik Erickson, a psychologist, in his theory of psycho social development identified the period from 12 years to 18 years of an individual as adolescence and he pointed out, at this stage, they equipped with the sense of trust, autonomy, initiative and industry. Adolescents begin to search for their own personal identity. He asserts that at this stage, the adolescent’s search by questioning and redefining his own socio-psychological identity established during earlier stages is definitely linked with (a) his sudden and rapid bodily changes, and (b) anxiety and pressures related to his need to make decisions about his need to make decisions about his future education and career.[1]

If the psycho social development of the adolescent results in his achieving the sense of identity, it will result in the individual developing the required confidence in his ability to do things, make him properly balanced in terms of emotional reactions and will place him in harmony with his environment. On the other hand, Failure in resolving the crises of those periods would be likely, at this stage, to result in role confusions and consequently the individual will not be able to find himself.

Jean Piaget, a Swiss biologist, focuses on cognitive development, seeing the age that commence at about 11/12 years as the “formal operational period” where the young person develops the ability to think abstractly and draw conclusion from the available information. This stage helps the child to attain mental maturity with respect to the development of his cognitive abilities.[1]

Lawrence Kohlberg, a psychologist, in his theory of moral development identified the period from the age of 13 or during adulthood as self accepted moral principles level and pointed out that at this stage the individual’s moral judgments are internalized in such a form that he responds positively to authority only if he agrees with the principles upon which the demands of the authority are based. The individual at this stage begin to think in rational terms, valuing the rights of human beings and welfare of society.[1]

Based on the above discussion we can infer that from the adolescent’s life is, or might be, full of opportunity to inter into new experience, to explore new relationships, to feel new resources of inner strength and ability.

Social scientists who study adolescence usually differentiate among three periods: Early adolescence (the period which covers from about age 11 through age 14), middle adolescence (the period which starts from the age 15 through age 18), and late adolescence (the period from about age 18 through age 21).

These divisions correspond to the way in which Indian society groups the young people in educational institutions. Based on these divisions we can identify the individuals who are in the age group 16-18 and attending junior college or in intermediate grade level as middle adolescents.

1.1. General Characteristics of Middle Adolescence

The middle adolescents of approximately 15/16 to 18 years have passed the period of rapid physical growth, but they are faced with crises in forming a mature identity, choosing a future vocation, developing lasting relationships, and becoming independent of their parents.

The middle adolescents more sophisticated thinking allows him to invent growth with symbolic meaning so that physical maturation may come to signify growth in other areas as well. The desire to conform growth in the early teens, peer acceptance becomes to motivate for a great deal of behavior.[2]

A “sex- appropriate” appearance becomes particularly important on adolescence. Marked variation in manner of movement, hairiness, skin texture, symmetry of features may adversely influence how a person is treated by others and how he thinks of himself.

One noticeable characteristic of mental operations in middle adolescence is increased ability to generalize the facts. The middle adolescent can generalized in an abstract way. There is an increase in the ability to see relationships and to solve problems of increasing complexity and difficulty. He can think not only in general terms but also in abstract terms to a great degree than children. The middle adolescent can imagine about a situation which is not physically present before them. They become capable to deal with ideas that do not represent something in which a person in directly involved. They have the ability to think about their future. They critically examine the moral code and ask a number of questions.

The middle adolescent’s emotional developmentbecomes complex by the experiences he get in his environment. He gets pleasures from what he expects in future. He develops competencies to the tensions in different social situations. He develops a concern about the feelings of others and increased capacity for sharing emotional experiences with others. His loyalties are identified with peers and leads of various fields.

During the period of middle adolescence there is a kind of mental tension or conflicts going on in the individual. The girls develop a feeling of dissatisfaction when the adolescence phase of life starts. The adolescent become self-conscious of his/her place in the society.

1.1.1. Psychological Issues

Searching for a unique identity is one of the problems that middle adolescents often face. At this age role models such as sports players, rock stars and movie and television performers are very popular, and adolescents often express a desire to be like their chosen role model. Middle adolescent may be prone to recklessness and risk taking behaviors, which can lead to substances abuse, car accidents, unsafe sex and youth crime.[1]

These are some evidences that the risk taking is biologically driven, caused by the social and emotional parts of the brain developing faster than the cognitive control part of the brain.

1.1.2. Social Behavior Patterns

Middle adolescents increases the amount of time spent with their pears. Nearly eight hours are usually spent communicating with others, but only eight percent of this time is spent talking to adults. Middle adolescents report that they are far happier spending time with similarly aged peers as compared to adults.[2]

Consequently, conflicts between adolescents and their parents increase at this time. These interactions are not always positive; peer pressure is very prevalent during this period, leading to increase cheating and misdemeanor crime.

The current study found support for both a direct and indirect influence of perceived neighborhood structural characteristics (i.e., neighborhood stability, income), measured at the block level, on neighborhood and youth outcomes. Directly perceived neighborhood advantage led to significantly lower neighborhood rates of official delinquency and higher rates of pro social activity. Indirectly, perceived neighborhood advantage significantly impacted outcomes by influencing more proximal constructs such as community social organization, informal social control, parenting practices, and affiliation with delinquent peers. Different pathways were significant across neighborhood and youth outcomes yet perceived neighborhood advantage, in particular neighborhood stability, constantly exerted substantial efforts, highlighting the need for more comprehensive and multiple prevention efforts.

Young adolescents are particularly susceptible to conforming to the behavior of their peers.

Adolescent rodents have been observed spending more of their time rodents of similar age. Conflicts between adolescents and parents have been noted in other primates, and overall increases aggressiveness has been observed during this stage. Despite this, social bonds between adolescents and adults tend to improve due to reconciliatory behavior.

1.1.3. Attitude and Interest of Middle Adolescent

Adolescent interest and attitude can be classified in terms of three categories; personal social and vocational. His attitude are developing moment by moment.

Some of them are formed without direction; others are result of careful planning. An individual during middle adolescence may show fearlessness in criticizing others. He even may criticize the teaching method of the teacher in class and put forward suggestions to effect improvement. The adolescent does not hesitate in criticizing the house hold affairs if he finds them against his house according to his taste. If the existing arrangement are not to his liking the will try to arrange them according to his choice. The girls are more eager in this respect as compared to boys. Leal in his studies has observed that a desire for giving suggestions for improvement is not present in an individual in early adolescence. But by the time he enters middle adolescence, he develops that trait. The tendency of criticizing others depends on the environment. The boys who live under strict control have a weaker inclination for criticizing others.

Social expansion occurs as the greater freedom and mobility of these years makes possible acquaintance with new and more varied groups of persons of both sexes. Social construction occurs as the teenager becomes more finicky and selective in his choice of companions.

The adolescent attaches great importance to reaction of the society and is very careful about his own and other’s behavior. He is always eager to learn the behavior which is appreciated. He tried to find out what exactly the society expects from him. He accordingly tries to reform and in so doing he wants to serve those near to him in the society. The middle adolescents always want to come in contact with large number of people. He is also keen to know what others think about him. This desire prompts him to come in contact with others. How much influence he will exercise over a person or a group depends up on the depth of his relationship with intimate friends increases.

Adolescents have a strong desire to enter into conversation with others. The girls particularly show a strong tendency towards this. Even those who appear shy and dull during childhood show keen desire to talk when they get an opportunity. The reason is perhaps that during this stage an individual is very keen to establish to his personality and for this object he resorts to conversation thinking to be the best medium for achieving his cherished desire.

The attitude of middle adolescent are peculiar and they have some psychological importance. They long for new experience, security and recognition. At this time there is desire for independent and to exert himself. This is the period when there is spurt in development of ego, and the individual wants to prove his independent status. He forms a new view towards the life as a whole. He tries to get those rights which others enjoy. Every behavior of the middle adolescent is motivated with this desire. He tries to get weaned from parents, wants to take his own decisions and play an active role in matters concerning his own life. The adolescent’s attitude towards parents and elders can be best being described as a love-hate relationship. They do not like those elders should interfere or give directions relating to dress, looks or visits to other places.

Gradually the adolescent’s emotional development with the family shift to the peer group. Peers serve as a reference group for the adolescent. Perhaps the identification with Peers helps to facilitate his emancipation from parents, and he conforms to his peer decisions in choice so that he may not appear different from them. He has a strong desire to follow the social pattern and style of life as approved, accepted and practiced by the peer group to which the adolescent himself belongs.

The interest of the middle adolescent is mostly related to his future life and their development is based on four factors like sex, intelligence, environment and opportunity. He is mostly very enthusiastic about his interest and sometimes goes beyond the limit. He is ready to go any extent in fulfilling his interest in no time. He is mainly interested in mystery and detective stories and themes of suspense and adventure. He is also interested in religion and other super human forces which seem to control the universe. His interest in religion is due to his search for the controlling forces around him.

1.1.4. Friendships and Peer Influence during Middle Adolescence

Middle adolescence is a time when peers play an increasingly important role in the lives of youth. Teens begin to develop friendships that are more intimate, exclusive, and more constant than in earlier years. In many ways this friendship are very essential component of development. They provide safe venues where youth can explore their identities, where they can feel acceptance and where they can develop a sense of belongingness. It also allows youth to practice and foster social skills necessary for future success. For instance, a research work had been done on peer group acceptance and academic performance among adolescents.[3] Peer group acceptance is found to have an indirect rather than direct influence on academic achievement. The behavior variable, avoidance of problem behavior, provides the strongest path of connection between peer group acceptance and academic performance. Implications of the findings for social work practice in the school setting are discussed.

None the less, parents and other adults can become concerned when they see their teens becoming preoccupied with their friends. Many parents worry that their teens might fall under negative peer influence or reject their family’s values and beliefs, as well as be pressured to emerge in high risk and other negative behavior.

In actually, peer influence is more complex than our stereotype of the negative influence from friends. First, peer influence can be both positive and negative. While we tend to think that peer influence leads teens to engage in unhealthy and unsafe behavior, it can actually motivate youth to study harder in school, volunteer for community and social services, and participate in sports and other productive endeavors. In fact, most teens report that their peers pressure them not to engage in drug use and sexual activity.

Second, peer influence is not a simple process where youth are passive recipient of influence from others. In fact, peers who become friends tend to be already having a lot of things in common. Peers with similar interest, similar academic standing, and enjoy doing the same things tend to gravitate towards each other. So, while it seems that middle adolescents and their friends become very similar to each other through peer influence, much of that similarity was present to begin with.

1.1.5. Attitude of the Middle Adolescent towards Peer Group

Adolescents prefer to remain aloof and also do not want to mix up with other grown up individuals. This mental state is a temporary phase because with further physical development. In accepting a single individual (friend) one is on one’s own choice. If the adolescent can find secure reactions with others of his own age, he is free to emancipate himself from home ties. Ample evidence of this is offered by the emphasis they place on conformity in dress and manner. To differ would be risk of criticism ridicule and reflection. Nothing is more painful or modifying to the adolescent than to be enubbed or left out of party.

When adolescents enters into middle adolescence they wants to be a member in a large group and tends to nominate as their friends and most preferred associates those who have interested and valued similar to his own. He is very cautious and independent in choosing his friends. He will not inter into friendship with others on the recommendation of anyone else. He may associate with others but does not mean that he has established friendship with him. He will not even choose his friends on the advance of his parents. Even at this age the boys are not experienced enough to judge an individual’s character and, therefore he occasionally selects wrong friends.

The middle adolescent is frank. He is interested in his friends and is exceedingly critical of them, for more than he will be as an adult he tends constantly to apprise and evaluate his friends, and if they do not measure up to an often impossible or unrealistic standard, he displays as intolerance which adults often find difficult to understand. The adolescent seems to be willing to tell his friends exactly how feels about them. Sometimes in the form of unwelcome and unsolicited advice and sometimes in the form of innuends and ridicule, they even make great sacrifices in maintaining friendship.

The middle adolescents feeling when rebuffed or ridiculed by his peers may range from grief and despair to intense range. It is difficult to the youngster to express such feelings, the reason for them, to adults, for to do so he must admit to himself the bitter fact that persons whose good will he desires actually do not like him. Instead of directly expressing his feelings he may reveal them through symptoms such as fault finding, fighting back, complaining and other responses of ‘the sour-grape’ variety. As a consequence, his elders may not realize that when he is telling how much he detects certain individuals he actually may be expressing how much he would like to be liked by these same individuals, or how deeply he feels contempt of himself.

The Relationships with peers during the adolescence stage come closer to serving as prototypes for adult relationships in social relationships, in work and in interaction with members of the opposite sex.[4] The role of the peer members or peer group in helping an individual to define his or her own identity becomes very important during adolescence. The peer group provides opportunity to learn how to interact with others and support in defining identity and also provides opportunities for witnessing the strategies others use to cope with similar problems, and for observing how effective they are. The most important aspect of adolescents’ lives is their close ties with their peers.

Unlike in child hood, when friendships usually meant two of more close friends, middle adolescents often have multiple friends and belong to multiple groups. They might have intimate and close relationships with one or a handful of individuals, and might also belong to one or more ‘cliques’ or groups of friends that have similar demographics (sex, race, socio economic status), orientation towards school, and other interests.

The peer friendships are dynamic and may change. For instance, while middle adolescents can have friendship that is long term, they often move from one clique to another and they might develop new friendships and lose others.

Generally, attitude can exert a potent influence upon an individual and are developing moment by moment. Some of them are formed without direction; others are the result of careful planning. Adolescents are great imitators of attitude which are caught as they are taught. They usually express definite attitude towards issues. The nature of their attitude depends upon many factors like, age, sex, geographic region, customs and traditions of the society in which they are living.

In order to understand the behavior of the child and adult, we need to gain some knowledge of the society in which he/she lives the peer society and his/her attitude towards it. During adolescence, peers play a large part in a young person’s life even while the family continues to be significant. In general, peer friendship offer youth with many positive opportunities despite the negative connotations that peer relations have for many of us. Peer relationships are actually important for healthy development and essential for youth to develop into healthy adults.

Although the negative influence of peers is often over-emphasized, more can be done to help middle adolescents experience the family and the peer group as mutually constructive environment. To accomplish this, families, communities, schools, teachers and other youth groups can all contribute to helping youth develop positive peer relationships, and deflect negative peer pressures and influences.

Students’ adjustment at the college is also largely determined by the formation of good and lasting relationships with peers and these relationships are largely dependent on many factors including family relationships. Good and close family relationships tend to ensure better social adjustment and relationships with peers at the college together ensure less student distress and college adjustment problems.

To generalize, it is described that there has been increased recognition for the need to distinguish and give individual research attention to different types of peer relations.[5]

The investigator, therefore, felt it necessary to study the attitude of middle adolescents towards their emotional, vocational and other personal attributes and to give some suggestions for necessary remedial measures to be taken.

1.2. Purpose of the Study

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of intermediate college students towards their Emotional, vocational and other personal attributes. Specifically, this study was intended to assess the students’ attitude towards all their attributes, to determine the frequency with which their attitude differ from one group to another (Groups are decided on the basis of sex), to give a clear idea about their attitude to the society so that they can know better about psychology of the students and guide them properly, and to suggest remedial measures which are useful to the students as well as to the society.

1.3. Hypothesis of the Study

1. There is no significant difference in the attitude of male and female students towards friendship.

2. There is no significant difference in the attitude of male and female students towards vocation.

3. There is no significant difference in the attitude of male and female students towards religion.

4. There is no significant difference in the attitude of male and female students in emotional attitude.

5. There is no significant difference in the attitude of male and female students in freedom.

1.4. Scope of the Study

The study was limited only to students who were studying in intermediate /junior colleges situated at Visakhapatnam city only.

Besides, the study was also confined to the attitude of the adolescents who are between 16 to 18 years old. The attitude of the adolescent change from time to time and from society to society. They may change according to the sex as well. So this investigation was aimed at the extent in which the attitudes differ towards various factors (friendship, vocation, freedom, emotion, religion) from one group to another.

1.5. Significance of the Study

The adolescence stage is described as the “stage of storm and stress” by most of the scholars. More emotional problems are noticed in this stage. These problems may come because of lack of adjustment and bad habits or because of the unsympathetic attitude of the parents and teachers or still due to other such reasons. The adolescent could suffer more because of the ill-treatment given by the parents, teachers and elders in the society ratified than his/her own.

Hence by identifying and showing adolescent students’ attitude towards different issues, the result of this study will have significant importance for teachers, for parents, and for the society in general.

Specifically, it will help elders, parents and teachers on how to encourage the intermediate students to study well and try for the jobs which are helpful to lead a successful life. It also helps them to recognize this factor and try to help the adolescent in refining the emotional attitude. It also shows the opportunity to parents and guardians to know the aptitudes and tendencies of their children

2. Material and Design of the Study

2.1. Method of the Study

This study was a descriptive cross-sectional research type that employed both qualitative and quantitative design.

2.2. The Sources of Data and the Site

The primary sources were used in this investigation to collect primary data through questionnaires from some selected intermediate college students in Visakhapatnam city-India in 2008/2009.

2.3. Sample and Sampling

In this study, the sample size was 200. The samples / adolescents belonging to junior colleges in Visakhapatnam city/ were selected through adopting random sampling method.

2.4. Data Collection Mechanisms and Tools

The investigator employed questionnaire to collect data. It was a close-ended type of questionnaire (written in English and in Telugu) with the point scale covering 5 attitude areas. It was constructed baring on the “Money Problems Check List”, and on the other available inventories used by a number of previous investigators.

The variables /areas/ included in the questionnaire and the items under each are given below:

2.4.1. Friendship

Adolescents prefer to cultivate friendship. It plays a substantial role in the life of an adolescent. Every child wants at this stage that to be fully accepted by his/her peers. Nothing can be more devastating to adolescents than to be rejected by the age-mates. The friends and type of peer groups, the adolescent joins, shape his/her behaviour to a great extent. His/her interests, attitude and values are influenced by peers. The following are the attitude included in this area:

1. I like to move with my friends.

2. We go in groups to movies and other entertainments.

3. I am afraid of moving with my friends.

4. My friends co-operate with me.

5. My friends tease me now and then.

6. To some places I want to go alone without my friends.

7. My friends many times misunderstood me.

8. I believe that there is nothing greater than friendship in this world.

9. We got many benefits through co-operative life.

10. There are many problems in living together.

2.4.2. Vocation

One of the most difficult and potentially frustrating tasks of adolescent is the choice of a career. The career is based on four factors. These factors are sex, intelligence, environment and opportunity. Today, the adolescent enjoys a comparatively wide margin of freedom in the choice of a career, but just because of this freedom, vocational decision, making has become more problematical than ever. Finally, we must consider the fact that although there is a large variety of a job in our society, relatively few of them are appealing to adolescents. Therefore, competition is severe, rejections are inevitable, and vocational ‘choice’ may necessarily become vocational compromise. Some of their attitudes about their vocation are included:

1. I wish my friends should be in good position.

2. I feel that a job will curtail my freedom.

3. I like technical courses like Medicine and Engineering.

4. I want to work hard to earn money.

5. Job is a necessity for man to live.

6. I like to move with my friends freely.

2.4.3. Freedom

The desire of independence is present even during childhood, but it becomes very strong during adolescence and the individual tries to become independent and break the control exercised by the parents and teachers. The adolescent experiences many hurdles in his/her way of reaching independence. He/she finds the control exercised by his/her parents and teachers as main hurdles. The parents do not want to relax their control because they still think that adolescents are just like young children. The adolescents do not like ‘parents’ interference in their affairs, evidently they want complete freedom. The following are the attitude towards freedom:

1. I talk frankly with my friends without any reservations.

2. I want to achieve many things but my opportunities are less.

3. I am sure I can achieve what all 2 want to do with the encouragement of my friends and with the cooperation of my parents.

4. My words hurt the feelings of my friends.

5. I am being misunderstood by parents and friends.

6. I am not able to express my feelings freely.

2.4.4. Emotion

Boys and girls are very emotional in the beginning of adolescence. Their emotions are, therefore, easily hurt. It is traditionally believed that the period of adolescence is a period of ‘storm and stress’. Stresses and storms maybe largely due to the changes in the environment, when the youth goes out to earn his living, or wishes to be thought as grown up, and revolts against the formal home discipline but there is general agreement that the maturing of the sex impulses and interest as a fundamental cause. Moods often very between elation and dejection dreams of future greatness maybe followed by thoughts of running away from home or even suicide. The following are the attitude included in this area.

1. I am worried about my problems.

2. I wish that my friends should know my problems.

3. Some of my friends dislike me.

4. I do not have belief in God.

5. I believe that God belongs to these persons who are timid.

6. Human beings need God’s grace

2.4.5. Religion

The stage of adolescence is the age of religions awakening. Generally adolescents show great curiosity to know about God and about life after death. The area consists of the following attitude:

1. Religion leads man to madness.

2. Faith in God is very helpful to develop concentration.

2.5. Data Analysis Technique

After the administered data was gathered, the number of statements made by each student was checked and counted. Then the whole sample divided into groups on the basis of sex. The given responses marked in the following way. A weight of three for ‘Agree’, two for ‘undivided’, and one for ‘Disagree’ has given.

To test the significant differences in expressing opinion on the items chi-square technique was used. In the first tryout the sample was 30 adolescents (both boys and girls).The expressed opinions of the adolescents on the given statements pertaining to various attitudes were on the ‘equal probability’ hypothesis. It was assumed for each statement, the 30 adolescents whose opinions ware considered, would divide themselves equally for the three opinions, agree (10), undivided (10), and disagree (10).

The method used for the calculation of the chi-square (X²) for items number one is shown below:

Table 1. Calculation of Chi-Square

For the chi-square tables, the probability of exceeding the tabulated value of chi-square with the degrees of freedom 2 is 9.210 were considered for further investigation as the opinions on three items were significant. The values of chi-square computed for each of the 30 items were given in the following table. The insignificant values of the chi-square are marked with a symbol (*), against the numbers.

Table 2. Chi-Square Values

Opinion on all the items were considered for final try-out as the chi-square value of each of the items was more than 9.210 at the 0.01 level. So, all the items were significant.

All the 30 items and the opinions of the adolescents on these items were further studied and the influence of certain variables on their opinions was investigated.

A further investigation into the nature and degree of opinion about the attitude of adolescents on the basis of sex was under taken. The mean score for each items of the questionnaire for each category of adolescents were calculated factors included under the variable sex were;[a] Boys[b] Girls.

And then discussion has been made based on the findings. Finally, the result also summarized and conclusions have been made followed by forwarded recommendations.

3. Results

Adolescents’ interest and attitude can be classified in terms of categories: personal, social and citizenship training as a matter of attitude formation. The attitudes are not the same for all the adolescents. Their frequency changes according to the adolescent’s sex.

Table 3. Attitude Areas – Mean

As shown in table 3 above, all most all the adolescents have identified a number of attitudes in all five areas. In order of preferences, while the attitude towards vocation is more among the adolescents, their attitude towards their emotion got the least frequency. Other areas like religion, friendship, and freedom got second, third, and fourth place respectively.

3.1. Area – I: Friendship

Table 4. Variable – Sex

Adolescence is an age of passionate friendship. Adolescents think that in good company they will develop good qualities and thus be able to command respect in the society. In the above table 4 it is vividly shown that adolescents expressed their opinions considerably well towards friendship.

As indicated in table 4 above, the attitude of the adolescents is well expressed in friendship. The mean score of the boys is somewhat more when compared with girls as far as friendship is concerned. Though friendship is well demonstrated clearly in the case of boys than girls, the difference in the means scores is less significant. The S.D. value in the case of boys is 0.195 and the S.D. value in the case of girl is 0.138. if the S.D. value is more, then the distribution is heterogeneous. If the S.D. value is less, then the group is known as homogeneous. The S.D values shown here the girls are more homogeneous than boys. The C.R. value is 5.83 which are more significant at 0.05 levels. In other words the difference between boys and girls as far as friendship is concerned is more significant.

3.2. Area – II: Vocation

It is evident, in table 5, from the mean-scores that girls are more ambitious towards jobs than boys. The mean score of girls is more than that of boys. The S.D. value is more in the case of boys and less in the case of girls. So girls’ attitudes are more consistent in the care of vocation when compared to boys. The C.R. value is 17.71 which show the existence of a highly significant difference between boys’ and girls’ attitude towards vocation.

Table 5. Variable - Sex

3.3. Area – III - Freedom

Table 6. Variable - Sex

The attitude of boys and girls is well expressed in the area of freedom. As shown in table 6, the mean score of the girls is somewhat higher than that of boys. Their attitude towards freedom is well demonstrated in the case of girls rather than the boys. But in both boys and girls the difference in the mean score is less significant, i.e., 0.04. The S.D. value in the case of boys is 0.212 and the S.D. value in the case of girls is 0.134. If the S.D. value is more, then the distribution is called heterogeneous. The C.R. value is 3.33 which is significant at 0.05 level. We can say that the difference between the attitude of boys and girls as far as freedom is concerned is significant.

3.4. Area – IV: Emotion

Table 7. Variable -Sex

As clearly stipulated in table 7, the mean score of boys is a little more when compared to that of girls. Boys very well expressed their attitude towards emotion. But in both boys and girls the difference in the mean scores is very less, i.e., 0.24. This result reveals that boys are more emotional or they excited very easily when compared to girls. The S.D. value in the case of boys is 0.167 and that of girls is 0.099. These S.D. values show that boys are more heterogeneous when compared with girls. The C.R. value is 26.67 which are highly significant at 0.05 levels. Thus, one can interpret that the difference between the attitude of boys and girls towards emotion is highly noticeable.

3.5. Area – V: Religion

Table 8. Variable- Sex

The attitude towards religion is well expressed by boys and girls; the mean score of girls is somewhat more when compared with that of boys. Girls have expressed their attitude towards religion very well. From the high mean score of girls we can assume that girls are said to be religions minded when compared to boys. The S.D. value of boys 0.071, show that they are more heterogeneous when compared to girls whose S.D. value is 0.029.

The C.R. value is 36.43 which are highly significant at 0.05 level. From this we can say that the difference between the attitude of girls and boys towards religion is highly significant.

4. Discussion

All the students irrespective of their sex have identified the following attitude areas in order of their frequency. That is, (1) Vocation (2) Religion (3) Friendship (4) Freedom and (5) Emotion. The result has revealed that the attitude towards vocation, religion, and friendship are at a higher frequency when compared to freedom, emotion.

A paper presented on evolutionary perspectives that influences on children’s resource directed behavior in peer groups argued that reciprocity is theoretically expected to be the fundamental rule of resources exchange in peer relationships or friendship.[6] Children are therefore expected to be attracted to peers who are similar to themselves on a wide variety of traits. It is concluded that individual differences in these systems are important for understanding friendship and socio-metric status in their peer relationships.

Attitude related to vocation posses a very high frequency. The adolescent boys and girls shared interest in professions like teaching, medicine, and engineering. Besides, their choice of future career significantly affects their future social relationship in the society. The socio economic level of the family still largely determines the vocational aspirations and attitude of the adolescent because ideas about the kinds of work open to the adolescent and notions of the emotional significance of a person’s job are determined to a large extent by family and friends. In certain article review it is shown that in the developing world, many adolescents struggle to attend school while they are active in the informal economy; adolescents' entry to the formal paid workforce usually means departure from school.[7] Poor parents and adolescents may perceive little choice. In deciding whether their children should work, parents (and adolescents) may trade off immediate economic returns (their children's wages) with longer term goals (e.g., human capital investment in children, likely to enhance parental support in old age). Middle- to upper-class young people and those in developed countries, in general, usually have more choice and may choose to work for increased economic independence from the family or for other reasons. Socio-economic class and intellectual level and availability of vocation are important factors which affect the choice of career in adolescent. Attitude towards vocation are more important to the intermediate students. The result has shown that the attitude of intermediate students differ according to their sex. That is, the attitude of girls is more in the areas of vocation when compared to boys.

Attitude towards religion have also occupied high position among adolescents. Adolescents are curious to know about everything. They have also considerably expressed their attitude towards religion. Everyone of them is trained in a special setting of religious beliefs and values.

Typically, adolescence is a period of religious awakening, when children religious beliefs are examined critically, evaluated and then revised to meet the needs of the individual. Most of the young adolescents meet religious beliefs of childhood with hypercritical attitude.

In the case of adolescents the bonds of friendship is stronger. They try to make the friendship with those who conform to their standard and possess the personality traits they like. As the result revealed, girls are more homogeneous than boys. Steinberg’s study also showed how peers become homogenous.

A research on friendships, peer influence and peer pressure during the teen years investigated that friendships that emerge during adolescence tends to be more complex, more exclusive, and more consistent than during early childhood. New type and level of relationships emerge, and teens begin to develop the capacity for very close, intimate, and deep friendship.[7] The adult perception of peers as having one culture or a unified front of dangerous influence is inaccurate. More often than not, peers reinforce family values, but they have the potential to encourage problem behavior as well. Although the negative peer influence is over emphasized, more can be done to help teenagers experience the family and the peer group as mutually constructive environment. Parent-adolescent conflict increases between childhood and early adolescence; although in most families, its frequency and intensity remain low. This study concluded that teens often have multiple layers and groups of friendships and peer friendships can be healthy venue for positive youth development. Peer friendships can be a safe place for youth to explore their identity, learn about social norms, and practice their autonomy.

The striving for independence, which began in infancy moves towards its climax. The process of being weaved from parental care is hastened. Forces within and without are perusing their nearer and nearer to the powers and responsibilities of adult life. Although the adolescent seeks independence and the right to manage his own affairs, he also has a deep need for parental affection and support.

According to the result, the mean score of the girls is somewhat higher than that of boys and their attitude towards freedom well demonstrated in the case of girls than boys.

The main reason for this type of attitude may be, in Indian society, girls will not be given full freedom when compared to western society. This could be because an Indian home provides over protection to child and is responsible for developing a dependent attitude and lack of ability to take his own decisions on the part of the adolescent. Naturally girls may wish to have more freedom.

Hall described adolescence as a period of “storm and stress”. He perceived the emotional life of the adolescent as an oscillating between contradictory tendencies. The attitude of adolescent boys and girls towards the emotion is expressed clearly. The result reveals that boys are more emotional or they excited very easily when compared to girls. By this we can interpret that the difference between the attitude of boys and girls towards emotion is highly noticeable.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

5.1. Conclusions

According to the findings of the research adolescents’ attitude towards vocation occupied the highest place. The next factor was religion. Most of the adolescents showed considerable interest in religion. They showed much interest in friendship but it occupied the third place. While they expressed the feeling of freedom and it occupied the fourth place, the emotional factor occupied the last place.

Religion is the dominating factor in the life of an adolescent. Some adolescents are much influenced by religions practices noticed in their homes and neighboring places. Middle adolescents, though they are not much interested in super natural powers, Gods, and other religious factors, they have the factor of fantasy. So the researcher found that the attitude of the adolescent towards religion is an impressing factor. Most of the adolescents attend temples and other religions gatherings because they find good opportunity to meet the opposite sex of a place to get-to-gather. This is essential because the adolescent would get some satisfaction by meeting the people whom he/she likes. Especially in India, adolescents are attached to their religion in some form or other. It is the duty of the society to help the adolescents to develop good attitude towards the religion because the adolescents would learn moral principles, ethical rules and principled life.

Do not allow the adolescents to develop fanaticism and create problems to the society. Most of the communal ratios may come because of lack of understanding among the people in religions matters. These things are happened because of the less sample. The results are opened for further examination and the researcher is very happy if anybody works on these lines and fined new results.

5.2. Recommendations

Adolescents are much influenced by society in general and friends in particular. Most of the adolescents develop friendship and they want to live in groups. They like the peer age very much and they have very good opinion about their friends. They are much interested in spending their time with their friends.

So the elders and teachers should help the adolescent students to get good friends. Sometimes the friends may discuss some topics which are valuable to the life and it is our duty to guide them properly and help them to understand the realities or facts.

Every adolescent would like to be a good earning member in the society. Generally they want some vocation, so they try their best to become an independent member to stand on their own legs. But the elders should give proper guidance and also explain the importance of Education. Elders and teachers should encourage the intermediate students to study well and try for the jobs which are helpful to lead a successful life.

Society has to give more freedom to the adolescents to lead an Independent life. In other words, society has to delegate some responsibilities to the adolescents and examine their performance time to time. Freedom without responsibility is useless. Freedom with responsibility is more useful and helps the society. The adolescents are confronted by number of problems and there is a chance to misuse the freedom. So the society has to guide in this respect and has to allow the adolescent to work freely. The man works more effectively in a free-climatic condition.

The adolescence stage is described as the “stage of storm and stress”. More emotional problems are noticed at this stage. These problems may come because of lack of adjustment and bad habits. Sometimes these problems may come because of the unsympathetic attitude of the parents and teachers. The adolescent suffers more because of the ill-treatment given by the parents, teachers and elders in the society ratified than this own short comings. It is found that every adolescent is much disturbed by these emotional problems. Teachers and elders should recognize this factor and try to help the adolescent in refining the emotional attitude.

Courtesy is the most important lesson which the adolescent must invariably learn to extend. Parents should impress upon their children to extend. Parents should impress upon their children to extend courteous behavior to others but not to expect too much from acquaintance and friends otherwise they will face disappointment. The stability of friendship depends on finer qualities of one’s personality. Some middle adolescents and parents lose sight of this important factor. The parents, therefore, should adopt a psychological approach.

It is commonly seen that friendship between two adolescents is short-lived, because one always asserts his superiority over the others, and the less dominating one rebels against the other. Such middle adolescents are mostly those who pose as poets. They start quarrelling and criticizing others. The parents should be cautions of their words who pose to be poets, because these boys are very sensitive and emotional. Parents should also see that their words do not establish friendship with much order persons because the social and emotional life of older person does not mix well with the developing life of adolescents and their influence proves a hurdle in their desirable and healthy development.

The parents should themselves take interest and inspire adolescents to develop moral and social values. The parents should allow their wards to hold meetings at the home occasionally to which he may be allowed to invite his friends. Such occasions also give an opportunity to parents and guardians to know the aptitudes and tendencies of their children.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am extremely delighted to extend my profound ever sense of gratitude and respect to Seeridevi Sreepada through I was able to complete this research work. She extended to me her inestimable time during data collection, valuable suggestions she forwarded and moral support in the course of the study; she deserves my heartfelt appreciation.